A Wonderful Partnership Pt 4
by WayofLife4587
Summary: This is Book 4 of this series The Wonderful Partnership. This is season 4 of Bones in the other books I said these books are surrounded by there's marriage from the very beginning. If you haven't read the other 3 book you need too before you read this one. B&B have been married for 6 years now.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Yanks in the U.K. Part 1 & 2**

Brennan had been speaking in front of a class at Oxford University while Booth was in the audience (sleeping) listening with his eyes closed. "In closing my lecture on interstitial lammellae remodeling, I'd like to address some issues that are not strictly confined to forensic anthropology. If it's alright with my host, Dr. Wexler."

Dr. Ian Wexler smiled at her as he said, "Well, yes, I should think that all the most joyless wonks, and yes I do refer to you, Cyril Bibby – would, uh, embrace the diversion from haversian systems."

Brennan nodded her thanks as she said, "My partner, FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth, gave his lecture at Scotland Yard last night. Agent Booth, could you please stand up?" Brennan looked at her husband – sleeping! – and she sighed in exasperation. She yelled out, "Hey, Booth!"

Booth snapped awake to attention then. "Yeah, I'm here. What's up?" He stood up slowly as the fogginess left his head.

Brennan gave him a look before she continued, "Agent Booth is the intuitive humanist while I am the logical empiricist although recently I have seen how destructive pure logic can be. My own assistant, the most brilliant young man I've ever met…"

Booth finished for her, "…ended up, uh, a side-kick to a cannibalistic serial killer."

Brennan pursed her lips in exasperation. "I – I haven't invited you to join me, Booth, so you can take your seat." Booth knew when he was in trouble and that was now. So he wasn't going to press his luck. As he took a seat Brennan went on, "What I've learned from Agent Booth is that we scientists must arm ourselves with something other than pure logic."

Wexler nodded his head as he said, "Quality which deflects us from an irrational enamoration for the rational."

Brennan looked at him, surprised he got it. "Exactly."

~BONES~

They were just walking out of the University when Booth asked, "How old is that guy?" He had seen how the professor had been looking at Brennan and his nostrils flared in anger at that.

Brennan, for her part, hadn't noticed at all Wexler's efforts of flirtation. "What, Ian? He's a year younger than I am and almost as brilliant. What do you think of my speech?"

Booth took in a deep breath as he tried to think of the right thing to say. "Well, it got, ya know, better towards the end."

Brennan gave him a deadpan look, "You mean after you interrupted me."

Booth apologized. "I'm sorry. Look, It wasn't that I was bored, mostly, it was just that I was tired, okay? The boobies took me out for a beer last night…"

Brennan corrected, "Bobbies, they're called Bobbies."

Booth snorted as he joked, "I'm pretty sure that Sara, Pauline and Jacqueline are, ya know, Boobies." She shook her head and laughed at him before he explained, "I knew that you were already asleep by the time I was finished and I didn't want to wake you because I couldn't remember where we were staying. So I just crashed at this real cheap motel last. Which makes you stay two nights! Can you believe that?"

Wexler however came running up behind then calling out, "Dr. Brennan! Dr. Brennan." Brennan turned around as he stopped in front of them and flattered, "What a wonder lecture: Fantastic. Sublime. Great!"

Brennan nodded her thanks. "Thank you, Dr. Wexler."

Wexler said – to Booth's ire – flirtatiously, "Who knew a shapeless robe could be so evocative – of academia I mean, of course." He then looked at Booth and said cheerily, "Just one moment with my colleague, please, Agent Booth."

Brennan did take notice of that flirtation however as she and Wexler walked a bit away as Booth leaned on the wall, watching them. Brennan looked over at her husband – noticing his tense stance and strained muscles – before she turned to back to Wexler and said, "Um, over the last few days, I have been warned – many times – to watch out for you."

Wexler looked at her innocently, "Warned? That sounds dangerous." His phone started to ring, but he continued to ignore it. "Was it something along the lines of 'Oh, look out for Ian Wexler. He's a young genius on the rise?'"

Brennan looked at him and laughed slightly. The man was incorrigible. "How can you flirt with me while ignoring your phone?"

Wexler smiled widely at her as he continued to flirt, "Well, I am a man of perspective. Besides, I find if one ignores the thing long enough, generally it stops ringing. And then later, at my leisure, it will tell me what it wanted." He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and answered, "Dr. Ian Wexler." He noticed that Brennan started to walk back to Booth and he told her, "Oh, don't leave, this is nothing." He then started to talk back into the phone, "Murder? What kind of murder? Well, is it a boring one or is it a violent one?" Wexler asked Brennan, "Is your interest piqued?"

Brennan looked at the man in shock. "Wha- are you being serious?"

Wexler smiled as he caught Brennan's interest. "I'm going to pass you over to a colleague of mine. I'd simply like you to state the origin of this call. Thank you."

He put the phone up to Brennan's ear and she said intrigued, "Scotland Yard? Homicide."

Wexler took the phone and said goodbye, "Cheers." Wexler smiled at Brennan again, "Well, would you like to tag along? It is murder. Can't promise anything but it is possible a famous heiress is involved."

Brennan couldn't deny the fact that she was definitely interested. "I'm keen as ketchup."

Wexler laughed slightly as he said, "Mustard. Keen as mustard. Excellent effort at the colloquialism, though. Very impressive. Does your cowboy want to tag along?" Wexler looked at Booth who waved slightly at them.

Brennan was surprised that Booth stayed over there so long. For, if she could tell Wexler was flirting with her, Brennan knew that Booth definitely could see it. But just thinking about what Wexler just called him made her laugh, "Oh, please, don't call him that."

Wexler asked, "He'd find it insulting?"

Brennan shook her head as she said, "No. He'd love it."

~BONES~

Wexler looked down at the file in his hand and read aloud, "Portia Frampton, only daughter of Roger Frampton, 47, formerly of Ringwood, New Jersey and Sarah Frampton nee Burroughs, deceased 1994 of Cheltenham, England."

Booth grimaced as his stomach acted up on him again. He was so happy that last night was the last time he had to stay at that motel. "God, you wouldn't believe what my hotel gave me for breakfast. It was like this brown goo and some kind of meat. I think it was a sausage about the size of my finger."

Brennan looked down at his fifth phalanx and then back up at him. She didn't understand why he insisted on stay at that horrid motel. "I had an entire buffet."

Booth sighed as he said, "Well, you're staying at the Duke of something, alright?" He still couldn't remember the name. "I'm at the Beefeater Hotel Motel."

Pritch asked in disbelief, "You ate at a Beefeater? That's brave."

Booth snorted, "Yeah, brave is right." He then took a sip of his 'coffee'. "This is the weakest coffee I've ever had."

Brennan smiled at Booth as she tapped his arm and whispered, "Booth, that's tea." Booth looked down at the tea and grimaced slightly before he threw the rest of the contents in the river.

Pritch stifled her own laugh as she told them, "Okay, two weeks ago, Miss Frampton was last seen leaving her home the morning after her 21st birthday party."

Booth knew that the professor didn't do it, but he couldn't help but jibe at the man. After all he was hitting on his wife. "That's quite a coincidence that Dr. Wexler is working for the victim's father."

Wexler raised a brow as he said, "Well, not working for him, actually, working for the city but I shall check my diary to see if I killed her."

Pritch continued on as if the two boys hadn't said anything. "Portia's party broke up around 2am and she was reported missing the following afternoon."

Booth pursed his lips as he thought aloud, "Hmm. The question is – why?"

Wexler looked at the man and then back at Brennan, wondering what she was doing with such a…lower-minded person. He sarcastically said, "She was probably reported missing because nobody could find her."

Pritch tried to warn the man, "Ian..."

But Wexler kept going. "And I suspect the reason why nobody could find her was because Portia was in a car on the bottom of the River Thames. Just a theory, mind you."

Booth stood to his full height as he said tightly, "Right, it's a great theory." He then handed Wexler his cup and said, "Can you hold onto that for one second? Thanks." He stepped closer to Brennan as he told the Brits, "Me and uh, Dr. Brennan will go talk to the family."

Pritch asked, "Together?"

Booth and Brennan looked at each other and then back at Pritch before smiling and saying in unison, "That's what we do."

Wexler looked at Brennan as he said, "You, an inspector? That's extraordinary."

Pritch looked at the couple and said, "Sweet." Booth smiled at that. It wasn't unheard of for partners to go out onto the field together. Of course, they were in Britain. Everything was different here. They drank tea instead of coffee!

~BONES~

Booth, Brennan and Pritch were in their rented car driving through the city. Brennan still was shocked at the car they received from the rental place. And of course, even with her name being thrown in, they wouldn't exchange it. Still Booth never explained to her why he rented this small car, "Why did you rent this?"

Booth sighed in aggravation. "I didn't rent this, okay? They screwed up at the rent-a-car place. I ordered an Aston. You know, James Bond? But they gave me…"

Pritch nodded as she said, "Yeah, they gave you an Austin. It could happen to anyone. Um...we drive on the left here, as you may recall."

Brennan watched as Booth swerved into the left lane again. She clutched the door handle as she said, "Driving here requires a different skill set. I – I could take the wheel, if you like. I'm an excellent driver."

Booth shook his head as he said, "Thank you, Rain Man. No, I'm fine." He swerved one more time before he told Pritch, "Tell you what, back home, we'd drag the whole Royal Family into interrogation, separately, let 'em stew, catch 'em in a lie."

Pritch raised a brow before she told them, "Well we could do that, if you like, but it'll give them time to close up. Do stay to the left here, please."

Brennan looked back at her and asked, "Close up?"

Pritch nodded, "Tighten ranks. Nothing is as impenetrable as the aristocracy freezing out hoi polloi interlopers. I must say, I'm rather looking forward to two Americans beating the lion in his den." Then she noticed that Booth was going to turn, "Oh, the light is red."

Booth waved that off. "It's okay. I'm turning right."

Brennan shook her head as she tried to explain, "No, no, turning right on a red here is the equivalent of turning left into the wrong lane on a red at home."

Booth looked at her as if she were speaking another language. "That makes no sense."

Brennan murmured under her breath as Booth turned soundly in to oncoming traffic, "Uh oh."

Pritch yelled, "No, the point is it's against the law to turn on a red! Brake! Brake!" Brennan started to scream a little as Pritch yelled one last time, "Brake!"

Brennan opened her eyes as she saw that they were all still alive. She took a calming breath in before she said evenly, "Okay, I think we should wait here until the traffic thins out."

Booth looked at her, took in a deep breath, got out of the car, and started to yell in aggravation, "God, I hate London! I hate England! I'm glad we had a revolution! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Brennan heard her cell phone ringing and answered it, allowing Booth to have his moment. "Brennan."

She heard Booth yell, 'And the weather it changes, it's cloudy...' as Cam told her, "The fatty acid composition of the victim's cervical fluid caught my attention, so I ran some more tests. Turns out Portia Frampton was pregnant."

Brennan hadn't been expecting that. "Pregnant? How far along?"

Booth yelled even louder, "And coffee! What is so hard about making a cup of black coffeeeeeeeee!"

Cam heard that as she said hesitantly, "About two months."

Brennan nodded as she said, "Okay. Thanks, Cam."

As Booth got back into the car, Brennan sighed in relief. Maybe now they could make some progress. "Okay, I feel much better. What'd I miss?" Yep, Brennan was right. He just needed to let some of his anger out – knowing full well that some of that had to do with Wexler.

~BONES~

Brennan had just finished talking with Clark as she looked at Wexler and asked, "So... what now?"

Wexler smiled at her as he said, "Well, I thought quick drink, back to yours for some sex, and then out for a late supper."

Brennan smiled at him as she shook her head, "I would be inclined to accept…"

Wexler smiled at her as he cut her off, "I'm ever so pleased."

Brennan finished, "But I can't."

Wexler looked at her with puppy dog eyes, "And why is that?"

Brennan looked at Wexler, debating if she should tell the man or not. "Well, I'm formally engaged in a monogamous relationship. Plus Booth says you like to rack 'em up."

Wexler took offense to that. "Rack 'em up? How vulgar."

Brennan shrugged as she told him honestly, "Booth is very good at reading people."

Wexler looked at her, deciding that one was never off limits. "Hmm. Well, in that case, how about we start with the supper, and then let the chips fall where they may?"

Brennan narrowed her eyes, before she agreed. "That would be an acceptable compromise." Because she knew exactly where the chips were going to fall.

~BONES~

Booth was attempting to parallel park and not doing such a good job at it as Brennan tried to help him, "Well, you should look over your other shoulder."

Booth hated London. Hated it. "Bones, I've been driving since I was 12, okay?"

Brennan tried to point out something positive. "Would it make you less agitated if I told you that I didn't sleep with Dr. Wexler last night even though he wanted me to?"

Booth almost (almost) slammed on the breaks after hearing that. He took in a deep breath before he said, "Okay, look. I'm not agitated about that, okay? I'm agitated because of driving this little car, that's all." He tried to think of the right way to put this. "Look, Wexler is just… I'm not agitated because of you and Dr. Wexler. Wexler's just another guy looking for a one-night stand. That's it. Whoa."

Brennan was confused by that. "So?"

Booth sighed as he tried to explain further, "So, he doesn't take it seriously."

Brennan still didn't understand that. "Seriously? What do you mean? You laugh during sex. I do too." She then saw a truck driving past as Booth pulled out, "Whoa, do you see that lorry?"

Booth slammed on the brakes as he yelled, "I see that lorry. It's a truck, okay? We're an American, and that is a truck." He pulled back a little as he told her, "And I know laugh during sex. It's just, it's not that kind of serious."

Brennan snorted as she joked slightly, "Well, I think Dr. Wexler is serious about having sex with me. Very interested."

Booth sighed in aggravation (for having to park the toy car and because of Wexler). "Okay, news bulletin for ya, Bones. There's not a guy in this country who wouldn't want to have sex with you. Probably half the gay men...whoa, easy."

Brennan looked at Booth, surprised that he would say that. "Are you being nice about me or awful about British men?"

Booth stopped everything he was doing, took in a deep breath and then told her seriously, "Wexler is not special; you are."

Brennan smiled gently at him as her phone started to ring. She answered, "Brennan."

Cam heard Brennan's distracted tone and asked, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Brennan shook her head, "No, I... I'm just helping Booth drive."

Cam knew that wasn't a good idea, "Ooh, Booth shouldn't be behind the wheel. He isn't adaptable."

Booth shot back, "I'm Mr. Adaptable, okay? And the mirror is the size of a thumbnail."

Brennan said, "Well, what do you expect when you rent a car the size of your thumb?"

Cam smiled as she shook her head. "I don't think there's enough fetal tissue to get a DNA reading, but..."

Booth asked as he tried to concentrate, "Cam, can we just be quiet until we get into the flow of traffic here?"

Brennan finally got up the never to ask – forgetting that Cam was listening, "You think I'm special?"

Booth couldn't she'd ask that. "Of course I think that you're special, yes."

Brennan smiled at him as she said, "Thank you." That's when she remembered the phone in her hand. She added hurriedly, "I will take your romantic advice under advisement. Now you're too far to the left." They really needed to talk about when they were going to tell everyone about their marriage.

~BONES~

Booth, Brennan and Wexler were sitting at a table having drinks after closing the case. Booth still couldn't beat the irony of the whole thing. "Come on, you mean to tell me that neither one of you get the weirdness of this. All right, the butler did it. It was the butler!"

Wexler told him, "Inspector Pritchard will be hours in the interrogation room but the fact is we'll never really know for certain."

Brennan translated that. "You mean he might just be protecting the duke?"

Wexler nodded, "It's utterly conceivable, yes." He then got up to leave but said to Brennan, "Well, I thought I might try and entice you back to Oxford with me tonight."

Booth finally snapped. "You know I do have a gun in England, and I really have been dying to use it."

Brennan placed her hand on his arm as she told him, "I'll handle this."

As they started to walk away Booth yelled, "You know, it's a James Bond gun. It's a Walther PPK, by the way."

Brennan smiled at the professor. "Ian, I think you're a lot of fun."

Wexler sighed, "Oh, hell's bells and buckets. I think I know where this is going."

Brennan told him honestly, "It would upset Booth if I slept with you."

Wexler tried one more time, "You see, rationally speaking, if you were to have someone operate on your brain, for example, you would want a surgeon who's done the procedure many hundreds of times. You know, someone who's absolutely at the top of their game. I don't really see why sex should be any different."

Brennan agreed with that. "Rationally speaking, you're absolutely right."

Wexler took that as an agreement and said cheerily, "Good. Then, we're settled. Off we go." He called out to Booth, "Look out for the bridge opening, they say it's good luck." He then joked with Brennan, "That should keep him occupied for hours."

Brennan shook her head as she told him, "Common sense says you don't offend your partner for an hour of fun."

Wexler straightened his jacket as he told her, "An hour. What? One hour? You underestimate me, Dr. Brennan." But she just smiled at him before she leaned in a kissed him softly on the cheek. He sighed. "This is absolutely the dregs, isn't it? I'll call you again before you leave. Who knows? You could be in a more rational frame of mind."

Ian walked away as Brennan turned around to look at Booth. She walked over to him slowly, seeing how he was still tense. She gave him a look as she sat down, which prompted him to say, "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm just here to help you pick out a guy, you know." He tried that joke and it failed completely. He shook his head and said, "Never mind. I'm just here to bring a little luck."

Brennan grabbed her drink and told him, "I don't believe in luck."

Booth still didn't get how she didn't believe in it. "What do you mean, you don't believe in luck? Okay, well, how do you explain when good things happen out of nowhere?"

Brennan pursed her lips before she asked, "Define 'good things'."

Booth tried to explain, "You know, good things. Money in the bank. Uh, hey, Doris Day parking, a big piece of…"

Brennan interrupted, "What's Doris Day parking?"

Booth would explain that later, "A big piece of the pie, that's good luck."

Brennan shook her head, "I call that a solipsistic perceptual response to the random nature of the Universe."

Booth waved that off, "Well, tomato, potato. Call it what you want. You know what? It's still luck."

Brennan laughed as she shook her head, "You are lucky I understand you when you say things that make no sense."

Booth smiled triumphantly as he pointed out, "See, you just agreed with me that it was luck. You just agreed, right there, so I'll take that."

Brennan held back her laughter as she smiled at him and said, "I did not agree!"

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth were loading all of Brennan's bags into a cab. She had a couple suitcases when they arrived, but now had tons of present bags. Booth grabbed her suitcases and placed them in the taxi as he asked, "So Wexler still hasn't called you, huh?"

Brennan told him, "Ian is the top forensic anthropologist in England. He's a very busy man, Booth."

Booth snorted at that. "Busy trying to get you into bed for the past two weeks. The least he can do is call…" Any self-respecting man would do that. "God, we're gonna need another cab just for all your stuff."

Brennan shrugged as she placed some of her presents in the cab. "I was given lots of presents by the students at Oxford."

Brennan went to grab another present but Booth rushed over to her. "No, no, no, no, no! Don't touch that one."

Booth handed her her presents as she asked, "Why? What is it?"

Booth smiled widely as he grabbed his present and started to take it out. "Why? Because your students gave you your gifts, and the cops at Scotland Yard gave me a little something-something for their appreciation. Huh?"

Brennan looked at the toy and asked confused, "What is that?"

Booth said in a British accent, "It's a bobblehead Bobby." Booth began to shake it and

shook his own head as well.

Brennan asked confused, "That's all you got?" Surely they could see the import of his own lecture.

Booth looked at it and said defensively, "Well it's a real nice one. Look." Booth then saw the bellman bring over more of Brennan's bags. "Oh. What is this now, the queen's jewels?"

Brennan said, "Well, the bellman will help."

Booth snorted softly at that, "No. He's better dressed than I've ever been. He'll get all dirty. I gotta tell you. You know what? There's no rule saying you can't call him." Booth brought his present and army duffle to the cab, "Although I gotta tell you, a guy who doesn't wanna talk to you just because you decide not to have sex with him, he can't be that great."

Brennan came out of the cab and asked confused, "What? In bed?"

Booth looked heavenward as he shook his head. "No. A great guy."

Brennan then said honestly, "Oh, because I think Ian would be great in bed."

Booth definitely didn't need to hear that. "Okay, next." He then yelled at the bellman, "Alright, hey pal, how about a little help? I gotta get to the airport. Come on." After a few more minutes of loading the gifts, Brennan was placing the last ones inside the cab as Booth said, "You know, I'm glad to be heading home, but I think America dropped too much of the uh, English stuff back in 1776."

Booth handed her the last two gifts as she asked, "Like what?"

Booth said, "You know, like, uh, royalty."

Brennan shook her head. "Meaningless title. No real power."

Booth looked at her and asked, "What, you never wanted to be a princess when you were a kid?"

Brennan shook her head, "No."

Booth asked teasingly, "Even now-a castle, the moats, knights in shining armor." She still shook heard head, causing Booth to laugh a little. He leaned in a kissed her softly on the lips, tramping her with his body against the cab. He leaned back and told her, "You know what? I risk my life for the United States government every day. I wonder if I can get Congress to pass something like knighthood." Booth reached for his ringing phone as he went on, "Sir Seeley Booth. It just sounds right." He answered his phone, "Booth."

Brennan shook her head as she smoothed her hands down his chest and said, "I get my worth from my intelligence and accomplishments. From actual achievements. I don't need a title." She then noticed how Booth's face dropped as he was listening to his phone. "What—What's wrong?"

Booth hung up his phone and told her quietly, "It's Dr. Wexler." She didn't understand what he was saying.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan walked onto the docks toward Wexler's team as Brennan asked, "Why are you doing this with me and not Inspector Pritchard?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders, "Oh, come on, Bones. You and me, we're the real deal." After she gave him a look he sighed and told her, "Ah, look. She's having a tough time with this. I would, too you know, if you were killed."

Brennan thought about that and agreed. "Oh, well, I can see that." Especially since she knew from experience. Which reminded her of Sweets and what they had discussed when they arrived in London.

~BONES~

Inspector Pritchard was walking back to her car as Brennan ran to catch up to her. "Inspector Pritchard? I just wanted to…"

Pritch snapped, "Oh, I am not the jealous sort, and you are painfully naïve if you think my sex life was limited to Ian, as I'm sure yours was not."

Brennan stopped and told her honestly, "But I didn't sleep with Ian."

Pritch turned around and looked at her in shock. "You didn't?"

Brennan shook her head, "No."

Pritch asked, "Why not? You obviously fancied each other."

Brennan had to agree with the body's reactions to him. "Yes, I noted several physiological responses to his presence which can only be explained by sexual attraction."

Pritch asked, "So why didn't you sleep with him then?"

Brennan answered automatically, "Because of Booth."

Pritch smiled at that. "Ohhh, you know, I suspected that you two might be more than just partners."

Brennan's eyes widened as she scrambled to cover herself up. "Oh, no. That's incorrect. Booth advised me not to sleep with Ian because Booth didn't want me to be another notch on Ian's bedpost." They really needed to talk about when they were going to let everyone know.

Pritch didn't believe her for one second but went along with it anyway. "See, I rather saw it as climbing Everest. Of course it's been done before but the experience is still breathtaking."

Brennan had to commend the woman. "You have a strong sexual appetite and you're not hamstrung by social moralizing. I can empathize with that."

Pritch smiled at her as they began to walk down the side walk again. "Thank you."

Brennan finally asked, "Well, why didn't you tell us you had a relationship with Wexler?"

Pritch told her honestly, "Because I thought I'd be taken off the case. I mean, if Agent Booth was murdered, wouldn't you do anything in your powers to make sure that you found the killer?"

Brennan had never thought of it like that. Now that did put a kink in the mail. Could that be possible? Would she not be able to help find Booth's killer if, heaven forbid (metaphorically of course), Booth was murdered? That was something to think about. "Yes. But I don't sleep with Booth. Have you withheld any other information?"

Pritch smirked at Brennan's hesitant reply. "Why on earth would I do that?"

Brennan told her, "Because you called a meeting to talk to us, then Clark called to give us cause of death, and then we basically accused you of murder. So while Booth went to get our car, I followed you to your car, and we began discussing mountain climbing and sex with Ian and…"

Pritch laughed, "Yes, thank you, Dr. Brennan. I believe I'm up to date now." She opened her car door and then swung around as she remembered, "Oh! You are absolutely right. I did forget to give you this."

Brennan took the offered letter and opened it. "Hmm. It's a writ of release on Frampton's building site."

Pritch nodded, "The site has been certified as having no historical importance whatsoever. Signed and dates, Dr. Ian Wexler-shortly before his death."

Brennan told her, "This document would be worth millions of dollars to Frampton."

Pritch said, "I suggest that you and Agent Booth ask Mr. Frampton if he forced Ian to sign that before killing him."

Brennan nodded in agreement. "Okay."

Pritch called out as Brennan started to walk away, "Oh. Word to the wise, Dr. Brennan. I'd encourage you not to forego Everest."

Brennan looked at her confused, "Well, it's too late. Ian's dead."

Pritch laughed as she shook her head. "Oh, yes, of course. To whom else would I be referring other than Ian? "

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were sitting at a long table, finishing up their breakfast. Booth tossed a cube of sugar in his 'tea' and said, "You know, Wexler was kind of like a Robin Hood kind of a character—steal from the rich."

Brennan put on a serious face and joked, "I turned down my chance to sleep with Robin Hood?"

Booth shook his head as he said, "Sometimes you just take the oddest leap." He turned to look at Brennan and saw the tinkle of laughter in her eyes. He chuckled softly as he turned back toward his tea. She was getting better at sarcasm. Booth then saw that Pritch was walking toward them. He called out in an English accent, "Hey, Pritch. Cheerio, mate." He smiled and turned to Brennan, seeing that she was laughing as well.

Pritch shook her head and chuckled. "'Hello' is fine." She picked up a knife and started to say, "On behalf of her Majesty the Queen of England I dub you Sir Seeley Booth, Knight of the Realm." She then placed a ribbon around his neck.

Booth looked down at it and said in awe, "Wow."

Brennan grabbed it and read what it said aloud, "Official Junior Knight."

Booth looked down again and inspected it, "Eh? Look at that. Wait a second. That's from a toy store."

Pritch shrugged and told him seriously, "It doesn't mean you're not Sir Galahad."

Booth knew exactly why she was doing that and said respectfully, "Thanks."

Brennan thought back to how she felt about Booth just a few weeks ago and told Pritch with great compassion, "I'm sorry about Ian."

Pritch was surprised by the emotion in the doctor's voice. She nodded her head as she said softly, "Me too. It was a real honor working with you both."

Booth knew that she was struggling to hold on and he said softly, "Same here." Brennan nodded as well.

Pritch sniffed once before she offered, "If you need a lift to the airport…"

Booth smiled as he said, "Bones, she got us a limo."

Pritch smiled at him. "Of course."

Booth offered though, "But if you're ever in the colonies."

Pritch thought about it for a moment before she inclined her head. "It would be lovely."

Brennan watched her walk away before she slapped Booth gently on his thigh and said playfully, "She likes you."

Booth shook his head, "No."

Brennan nodded as she continued to tease him, "Yes! And she's very sexual."

Booth started to laugh at that, "Enough. It's just…Stop." He looked around at where they were and said, "I'm gonna miss this place. This is definitely not a diner."

Brennan laughed softly at that. But then thought about the last time they delayed. "Come on. We should go before someone else gets killed."

Booth stood up with her and said, "Yeah, you're right. Here we go. Oh!" He stopped and offered her his arm, "My arm?"

Brennan smiled. "Thank you." She slipped her arm through his and said, "Thank you Sir Seeley."

Booth tried to speak in an English accent again, "Ah. Pleasure, Lady Temperance." However it came out Australian.

Brennan laughed softly as she told him, "You sound Australian."

Booth shook his head as he said, "I don't sound Australian." They continued to bicker all the way to their limo.

* * *

 **A/N2: Soooo, I know that there wasn't much difference in this chapter. But it was getting really long by the time I decided I wanted to add some other scenes. So I have good news! Next chapter is going to be a chapter break of their time in London when it wasn't surrounded by murder and mystery. ;) I'm thinking some shopping, dining, dancing, site seeing, etc. It shall be fun. And perhaps Gordon Gordon shall drop by, what do you think about that?**


	2. Pt 4 Chapter Break

**Chapter Break – A Break in Time**

Booth and Brennan had arrived yesterday and from the airport – after the fiasco with their car – went to their hotel to just sleep. It had been a very long week prior. They had just closed up the Gormogon case, Zack had been transferred to a hospital closer to the mental hospital he was going to go to. The whole procedures that usually took months, took only one week for him. Brennan didn't want to know how Booth and Carline did it, but Zack was officially registered into the asylum and that crushed her heart a little more. That case and the whole situation of Booth's fake death had finally gotten to her. So when she got the invitation to give a lecture at Oxford and Booth consequently got an offer to give a presentation at Scotland Yard, the booked the first flight out.

Booth, for his part, had been trying to figure out a way to get both of them away from their work, this life. Just for a few weeks. He had immediately agreed with his wife when they realized that they both could go to London together and not raise any suspicions about taking time off at the same time. So they had booked for the flight leaving at 3:30 PM that day, leaving them around five hours to getting everything set and packed. They had barely made it to the terminal before they started boarding. Thankfully no one either noticed the famous Dr. Temperance Brennan or they were decent enough to realize that she didn't want to be bothered. Now that she thought about it, it was probably the latter as she remembered Booth's protective stance as he stood by her basically blocking out everything else around them.

And that is how they found themselves 11 hours later at 7:30 AM in London, exhausted and jet-lagged beyond belief in their hotel bed still fully dressed and falling asleep. Because no matter how good first class was, you never did sleep very well. As Brennan burrowed herself deeper into her sleeping husband's side, right before sleep took her, she wondered how it was possible that they both got offers to go to London at the same time, right when they needed it.

~BONES~

Six hours later Brennan woke up to the sound of water running. She looked around a little disoriented at first, wondering where she was. Then she remembered. Booth's death, finding out it was fake, Zack's subsequent revelation of murdering for Gormogon, and then here. She slowly got up and walked toward the sound of the water, nearly tripping over the haphazardly placed luggage and Booth's army duffle bag. They must have really been tired to not even care where they had placed that, she thought. However, as she continued to walk toward the sound – finding it coming from the bathroom – she found Booth filling up a rather large tub. It wasn't a Jacuzzi but it wasn't a regular tub either. She noticed that it could easily fit two people with some room.

As she walked into the room, Booth turned around hearing here entrance. He smiled softly at her, straightened from his hunched position and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging for no apparent reason. Which was exactly what she needed. She hadn't cried since they had left the lab after they brought the charges against Zack. But now, as Booth rubbed small circles on her back, she finally let the three weeks finally spill over. She hugged him back fiercely as a sob racked her body, which just in turn made the floodgates open. She heard Booth murmur soothing words and sounds, felt him kiss her skin tenderly as he slowly took off her clothing. Before she realized it they were both stripped of their clothing and Booth was gently lowering her into the now filled tub.

He slid in behind her as she stared at him through her dwindling tears. She sniffled slightly as Booth settled himself comfortably behind before he drew her against his chest. Without saying anything he kissed her tenderly against her exposed neck as he grabbed her soap – finally seeing that their bathroom was set up – and started to lather her skin with it. He rubbed her whole body, the soap making a silky contrast against his hands as they moved over her body. She could feel what his attentions was doing to him against her backside as she rested her head against his shoulder as he finally worked to the center of her body, first slowly massaging her breasts – leaving a flushed sensation in his hands path as he worked his way down her abdomen before he gently brushed against her mons. Brennan nearly groaned in frustration as he only gently swept his hand against it.

She slid her hands onto the legs that surrounded her, slightly digging her nails into the flesh, as she tried to follow the retreating hand. Booth moved his hand up to her abdomen, stopping her movements – and biting his lip in the process as her ass pressed against his enlarged manhood. He leaned down to whisper hotly in her ear, his voice coming out deeper than he intended, "I just want you to relax, Bones. This is about you right now. Not about me. This is me showing you that not everything is upside down right now. That we can make it through whatever is thrown to us."

As he kissed her gently by her ear, she whispered, "This is what I need Booth. I need to feel something other than this hurt. Please help me feel something other than all this pain." Booth groaned loudly, the vibrations from his chest making its way into her own body, as she gently grabbed his hand and slid it back down to her mons. Booth heard her whisper desperately, "Please." And he knew that was the end of his slow, gentle ministrations. He slid two of his fingers into her center, finding it already soaking wet. He curled his fingers a little inside her as he began to kiss his way across her shoulders and neck.

After just a few minutes of his hand moving in and out, his thumb rubbing every other stroke against her clit, and his other hand massaged her breast – he felt the tell-tale signs of her orgasm. He too was feeling the effects of it was she moved in tandem with his hand, causing her perfectly rounded bottom to rubbed against his engorged member. He intensified his movements, adding more pressure on her clit. When she did come, she weaved her fingers to his hair as he sucked her skin on her neck. She screamed out his name as she spasmed around his fingers, drawing them deeper still.

After the residual effects of her orgasm passed, she laid limp in his arms as his hand gently brushed against her lower abdomen. For some odd reason, Booth could see her then with a rounded belly, carrying his child, and that just reminded him of what happened over three weeks ago. They still had so much to do with their lives together. He cupped her flat abdomen and whispered hoarsely as emotions blocked his throat, "God, I love you so much Bones. So damn much it's frightening sometimes."

Brennan shifted slightly as she heard his emotions in his voice. She looked up into his chocolate brown eyes a darker color, shining with his emotions. She turned around slowly as she straddled him in his lap – realizing that he was still very hard – and hovered over him. She laced her hands around his head as she kissed him gently, "I know Booth. I know. And I love you just as much." She kissed him again before she leaned her head against his and whispered, "We almost lost each other. But we didn't. We're here, together now. Tomorrow might be different or a month from now something terrible could happen, but right now, in this moment, we have each other. That's all I want. I just want you, you alone." She kissed him softly as she lowered herself onto his cock. They moaned in unison at the feeling as Booth met her halfway. And that's how they stayed, connected, moving in unison. Water splashed slightly over the edge of the tub as they increased their speed. However, Brennan kept her hands wrapped around his head as they kissed, expressing everything they felt in that kiss.

Booth knew that in their work their lives were threatened daily. He just wanted so much more with his wife. He slanted his mouth over hers to deepen the kiss even more as he surged up into her with greater force. He wasn't going to let anything else happen to him or her. He would do everything in his power to make sure that they had the next 30, 40, 50 years together. As he surged up one more time, he felt Brennan's muscle start to tighten around him as her orgasm took over her. He himself pumped one more time into her before he let his on release take hold of him. His warm seed spread through her womb, causing Brennan into a second orgasm. She felt something shift inside her as she became very aware of his seed inside her. A warm feeling spread through her as she came back down.

They both sat there as they regained their normal breathing and muscle function. After a few minutes of sitting there not moving, Booth noticed the slight shivers running through his wife's body and then realized that their water had grown tepid at best since they had come in there. He kissed her temple loving before he whispered for her to hold on to him. She did so, burying her head against his shoulder as he stood up slowly. He silently brought her back to their bed, placing a towel down that she hadn't realized he had grabbed before he placed her gently down onto of it. As he dried her off with another towel, she slowly began to realize what the warm feeling she had felt earlier was. She knew it had all started with the case when they had to take Andy in, but now the thought of having a baby…it didn't seem so bad. Brennan, of course being herself, had to think about it before bringing it up. She needed to make that she was ready for bringing a child into this world. But as she felt Booth gently pick her up and slide her back under the sheets, she knew that they would soon be having a very serious conversation.

~BONES~

They had slept through most of the rest of the night, only waking up one time when Brennan softly confessed what Sweets had done. Booth had been enraged beyond belief and was about to call the psychologist to warn him into hiding, but she had calmed him down and then they made love again, slowly. Brennan had at sometime yesterday during Booth's ministrations, come to accept the events that happened. Now all she wanted to do was live life to the full. She smiled happily as she stretched lazily and looked over at Booth as she rolled onto her side and leaned over him – her hair creating a wall of chestnut waves. Booth had been starting to wake up when she did that and smiled sleepily up at her glowing face. He was happy to see her so happy. Her eyes were shining again and he cupped her face in one hand as he leaned up to kiss her softly, "Morning Bones."

Brennan smiled at him as she kissed him back one more time before she said, "Morning Booth." He just looked at her for a few more seconds, taking in the changes that had literally occurred over night. He laughed softly as he sapphire blue eyes shone in brilliance and said quietly, "God, you're beautiful. So gorgeous."

Brennan laughed slightly with him as he weaved her fingers through his bed-mused hair. She was just so grateful to have him with her. "I have to check in with Oxford and meet some of the professors, but my afternoon is completely free. What do you want to do?"

Booth smiled as he brushed a piece her hair behind her ear. "Mmmm, I can think of something we could do." He slowly moved his hand down her spine suggestively.

Brennan shook her head. "Booth. Stop that. I have to get ready soon. We don't have time. How about you meet at Oxford at 12. We can just walk around."

Booth raised his eyebrow hearing her say that. Now he knew his wife, and he knew that she loved to plan things. She was never one to just walk around. But he also saw that sparkle in her eyes. "Okay. 12. I'll meet you there."

Brennan smiled again before she kissed him quickly and slipped out of the bed, Booth watching her every move. She dressed in her dress suit, stuffing a pair of jeans and a cotton shirt into her bag. She then slipped on reasonable high-heel shoes, before turning to look at her selection of jewelry. She had just picked out the necklace and was about to clasp it around her neck when she felt warm fingers close around her own as Booth took it from her fingers, clasping it on for her. She felt his warm breath on her neck before he leaned down all the way and kissed her. "So gorgeous." She smiled at him from their reflection in the mirror. He had donned on his boxers and wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her again on the cheek. "Knock their socks off babe."

~BONES~

Booth had left about an hour after his wife at 8:00. He had four hours to kill before he would meet up with Brennan. It had been two hours since then and Booth found what looked like a sports bar of sorts, remembering that for the Flyers game in a few days. He had just past a bench on some street he was walking on when he recognized the man sitting on it. He couldn't believe it. Booth walked over to the man reading the paper and said, "Gordon Gordon."

Dr. Wyatt looked up and smiled widely. He had been wondering if he would see his two favorite patients. When he had learned from Dr. Sweets, after checking regularly, about what had occurred within the last month (and also from his phone call with a very distraught Dr. Brennan), he knew that the two would need some time away from that environment. He had put in some favors to get both out their immediately and was now pleasantly surprised. "Agent Booth, what a surprise!"

Booth smiled back at him as they shook hands. "Yeah, tell me about it. What are you doing here Gordon Gordon?"

Gordon Gordon smiled and waved his hand in the air, "Oh, just this and that. What are you doing here and where is that wonderful partner of yours?" He looked around for Dr. Brennan, not finding her.

Booth smiled, "Bones got a lecture in a few days and I gotta give a presentation in Scotland Yard. She's talking with Oxford right now, meeting the professors. I'm actually walking my way to meet her."

Gordon Gordon smiled, "Splendid. Send her my best wishes. And I'm sure that all is well still." Booth's smile faltered a little bit as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. Gordon Gordon of course noticed that, very pleased with himself that he brought them to London. "Oh, or is it?"

Booth shook his head, "No, no. We're good, it's just that…well some really bad things have happened recently…and it's been real tense and stressful. I think it's better now, but…"

Gordon Gordon nodded his head. "I see. Shall we walk? Perhaps I could be of some help. I might not be your psychiatrist anymore, but I shall endeavor to offer my assistance."

Booth started to protest, "No, I don't want to interrupt your day."

Gordon Gordon waved that off, "No interruption on my part. I was just finishing up my reading and I have naught else to do today."

Booth laughed a little as he thought of the doc's word usage. "Then, I guess. Yeah. Bones would be happy to see you too."

~BONES~

They had walked all the way to Oxford as Booth told Gordon Gordon the past events over the last month. He listened as Booth told him how he had wanted to call Brennan, that he had even tried once, but the agents guarding him had intercepted the call and after that attempt all forms of communication were cutoff. They had guarded him with their life, he couldn't have gotten away if he even tried. Then he told Gordon Gordon about the Gormogon case and how Zack had been involved. They were just thirty minutes away from their destination as Booth finally stated his latest revelation. "Then last night…"

Gordon Gordon read his hesitation and asked, "Yes?"

Booth raked his hand through his hair and said after he blew out a heavy sigh. "It's just that, last night, I was looking at her and I realized that…well, uh, that I want another kid. With her."

Gordon Gordon concealed his overjoyed smile and he nodded solemnly, "I see."

Booth rushed on, "But the thing is that she doesn't want any kids. And hey, I'm not going to force her or anything. If I can only have her, that's great. But to see something made from our love…I just want to show her through something tangible that I will always be with her." He looked at Gordon Gordon seriously, "I can't control what other people do when I'm on the job. I'll try my damnedest to prevent hurting her again, but I can't know if our next case will be my last. And if it is, I want her to have something with her that she'll be able to actually hold and love; that will be a reminder of the love we have. Because I know she took my death hard. I can still see what it did and I want to kill Sweets for putting her through that. He used my fake death as a means to see what her reaction would be. But he doesn't know her at all. He doesn't realize that she puts up her strong façade for everyone but when we go home…she breaks. She wants everyone to think she's stronger than she is at times. I'm usually there though to catch her when she falls apart. But that time, I wasn't and I was the reason for her fall. I can't forgive myself for that."

Gordon Gordon stopped at Booth's impassioned speech. "Agent Booth, you are right that you have no control over what others shall do. However you do have control over what you do. You can show your lady wife that you do love her by just doing that. Loving her. There's no better way to tell someone that than by showing it in your actions. I can see that you love the fine doctor. So just keep doing what you are and I'm sure she'll come around to the idea." They had started to walk again as Wyatt went on, "And to make another life is the greatest show of love. A love so great that to do it, one must be positive that they are fully ready for such a gift." He paused for emphasis. "Are you ready Agent Booth?"

They walked in silence as Booth that about that. Was he ready? Were they ready? How would that change things between them not only at home but at work? But deep down Booth knew that they could make it. As they walked up to Oxford Booth looked up at a silent Gordon Gordon and nodded seriously, "Yeah, I'm ready."

Brennan walked up to the group then, having seen Booth walk up. "Ready for what?" She then noticed who Booth was talking with. "Dr. Wyatt! What are you doing here?"

Gordon Gordon smiled at her as he brought his hands to her shoulders and looked at her as he said, "Ah, Dr. Brennan. You look radiant. This old bag is just here on some work. But I hear that you are preparing for a lecture. I hope those chaps won't give you overt trouble."

Brennan laughed lightly as she willingly hugged Gordon Gordon, surprising both him and Booth. She hugged him tightly as she whispered in his ear, "Thank you, Dr. Wyatt. Everything is going to be fine."

Gordon Gordon stepped back and looked at the doctor. He noticed a slight flush on her face and her eyes shined with something else. A slow, wide smile broke out on his face as he looked between her and Agent Booth. Yes, everything was going to be just fine.

~BONES~

They had spent the rest of the day with Gordon Gordon. He showed them around his old 'hangouts' and some very nice shops. He even took them out to dinner. He was very happy to see what he saw. They were a stronger couple now. He had no doubt that they would make marvelous parents when the time came. And he knew that a time would come. As he watched the couple walk hand in hand up to their hotel, he smiled. Indeed, they had a wonderful partnership.

* * *

 **A/N2: So not exactly what I had planned, but I think it turned out well. Reviews are loved, and you flame throwers will be very sorry. I have Scots blood in me. That's right. Highlanders can be very insulted when one of their own is. You are forewarned. P.S: My Birthday was yesterday**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – Man in the Outhouse**

Booth had woken up with his regular morning erection; the only difference that morning was that his wife's ass was rubbing against him in a rhythmic way. Booth groaned loudly as he wrapped his arms around her and cupped her breasts, starting to massage them. He started to kiss the back of her neck and rock his hips against her ass when he noticed that she was already soaking wet as his cock slid across her slit. He bit into her shoulder gently when a second fact came to him through his foggy brain. His wife was still asleep.

She was having a fucking wet-dream and from the sounds coming from her mouth – her little gasps of his name – it was fucking good. Booth whispered huskily in her ear, "Bones, baby, wakey-wakey." She just kept moving her hips though, grinding her ass against his increase hard-on. He moved one of his arms down to cup her as his fingers slipped between her folds and lightly touched her clit. "Bones. Wakey-wakey." He sucked in her earlobe, increasing his sensory onslaught.

Brennan's eyes opened slowly as she moaned loudly, "Booooothhhhh."

Booth grunted his approval of her finally waking and rewarded both of them as he lifted her leg to drape over his and drove into her core from behind. Booth leaned his head against her as he slightly nipped at her neck when he pulled out and then drove back into her to the hilt. "You're so wet. What the fuck were you dreaming of?"

Brennan wrapped one hand into his hair as she panted out, "Last…night."

Booth pumped in a little harder – and grew thicker and longer – as he remembered last night as well. They had been crazy and he didn't even know what came over them. One moment they were finishing up a case and then next the file was scattered across the floor and Booth was ramming into her like there was no tomorrow. He fucked her there right on their dining room table. "Oh fuck." He increased the pressure he had on her clit as he drove into her faster and faster. The telltale sign of his release was coming at the base of his spine and his abdomen tightened. Booth knew he wasn't going to last much longer, so he angled Brennan's hips a little and rammed into her again, hitting her g-spot at the same time he rubbed her clit again.

Brennan had been already close to her release but when Booth did that she screamed out as her muscles clenched around him. Booth grunted again as he felt her release and drove into her one more time before he groaned her name as his seed shot inside her. After a few minutes of gaining their breath back, Brennan looked at the clock on moaned, " Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Booth chuckled huskily as he looked he remembered seeing the clock when he first woke up. He guessed from the amount of elapsed time, "6:30, which is why I'll be making breakfast and you can sleep in." He leaned in and kissed her softly on her cheek as she rolled onto her back. He joked quietly as he brushed his fingers through her hair, "Nice, uh, bed head there."

Brennan shoved his shoulder as she laughed and told him, "Go. I'm going back to sleep. Wake me up when the coffee is ready." Brennan woke up again to see Booth walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and another one running through his hair. She stretched and groaned in joy as Booth dropped the towel around his waist, revealing his firm ass. She then groaned in annoyance as their doorbell started to ring.

Booth slipped on his boxers and told her, "I got it."

But she shook her head and sat up in bed. "No, I'll get it. You get dressed." Brennan slipped on her robe and walked past Booth – who swatted her playfully on the butt. "Booth!"

"You gotta wake up Bones." He yelled out as she walked toward the door, "I never understood how you're not a morning person."

She rolled her eyes as she walked to the still ringing doorbell and opened it slightly. She was surprised, to say the least, to see who was standing there. "Mark! What-what are you doing here?"

Mark smiled at her and asked, "Can I come in?"

Brennan nodded slowly as she opened her door wider, allowing him in. "How did you get my address?"

Mark shrugged his shoulders as he looked around her place. "I asked you publicist. I told her I was an old friend of yours." He smiled at her again as he said, "Just moved back to DC."

Brennan made on 'O' shape with her mouth as she heard Booth coming from their bedroom, "Bones, we got ourselves…Whoa!"

Brennan looked between the two men and said awkwardly, "So, uh, Seeley Booth, Mark Gaffney."

Mark looked at Booth and saw that he was wearing pants but the belt wasn't buckled and he had no shirt on. "Hey."

Booth walked up to Brennan and handed her the cup of coffee he had grabbed from the kitchen after his phone call. He nodded to Mark, "Hey." Booth then looked at Brennan and told her, "Got some pre-breakfast remains for you. So we gotta get out of here."

Brennan's eyes widened at that. She looked toward Mark and said, "Oh, I have to get ready." Mark was about to say something but Brennan cut him off, "Perhaps I'll call you later, to catch up." She then handed Booth her cup after taking one sip and hurried to get ready.

Booth nodded at Mark as he smiled, "So, I'll show you out, huh."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were driving to the crime scene as Brennan huffed in irritation. "It would be good if he called first. I don't even know why my publicist gave him our address."

Booth smiled slightly. She had been mad that she had been delayed even the slightest bit to get to the crime scene. "She probably thought he was an old boyfriend. More publicity if you start dating someone."

Brennan smiled a little. "Well, I wouldn't call what we did dating. We occasionally made arrangements to spend time together."

Booth snorted. "I'm just surprised you weren't more picky. I swear when we were dating I thought we wouldn't make it because I wasn't smart enough for you."

Brennan looked at her husband surprised. "Booth you are very smart. Perhaps not in anthropology, but in a vast number of other areas. You stimulate me both mentally and sexually. While my relationship with Mark was purely physical, and I was very satisfied with him in that area at the time."

Booth wasn't sure if he should take what she said as a compliment or not. "What?"

Brennan looked at him confused for a second as she asked him, "Haven't you chosen someone because they were satisfying sexually?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Well there has to be more than sex."

Brennan agreed with him now. But back then… "I didn't think so when I was seeing him. Our interests and professions did not intersect."

Booth raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, what is he? Bricklayer? You know, truck driver? Tango dancer?"

Brennan looked out her window as she mumbled, "He is a deep-sea welder."

Booth had not been expecting that. 'Wow. I wouldn't even think to put that on the list."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders again. "Well, they work on oil derricks, repair boats. After being at sea for months at a time, he seemed to enjoy having a sexual relationship, so..."

Booth could imagine. "I'm sure. I am sure. Deep-sea welder."

Brennan nodded her head as she remembered, "He can hold his breath for three minutes down there."

Booth couldn't help but joke, "Underwater?"

Brennan slapped his arm. "Of course."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were talking in Booth's office as he told Brennan, "Arthur Lang will only talk through his attorney, who says he was in Atlantic City all weekend playing Keno. We're checking out his story."

Brennan pointed out, "He could've hired a hit man."

Booth shook his head, "No, this was not a contract job, this was personal and violent. Okay, Sweets is on his way up with the show tapes to profile for a revenge killer."

Brennan nodded her head. She smiled at him and waved, "Okay, see you later."

She started to head out to Booth's astonishment. He started to follow her as he called out, "Whoa, Bones, wait a second. Where you going? I thought maybe we could, you know, help out Sweets."

Brennan looked at him as she remembered she forgot to tell him her plans. "To a film."

Booth's brows furrowed in confusion, "Oh, this is much better than a movie. Hours of fascinating video." He then thought of her plans to see Mark. "Hey, great stories for the deep-sea welder."

Brennan looked at him impishly as she said, "No, actually, I'm going to the film with the botanist."

Booth tried to remember a botanist. He thought back and then he remembered vaguely. She had met the man at one of the lectures she'd gone to before they had started dating. He had called her a few days ago letting her know that he was back in town. "Oh, I get it. You dumped Mark. It's too bad, I kinda liked the guy."

Brennan looked at him confused again. "No, I didn't dump Mark, I'm seeing both of them."

Booth knew that that was a bad idea. He couldn't tell what the botanist wanted but he definitely knew that Mark wanted to get in her pants. "At the same time?"

Brennan told him, "Mark and I have had a physical connection. The botanist, while brilliant and fascinating, just...just didn't appeal to me in that way. I'm meeting with the botanist tonight and Mark tomorrow."

Booth pursed his lips. He knew that this was going to end badly, he tried to warn her. "Okay, so all that stuff you said about monogamy being unnatural, you were just making excuses back then.

Brennan shook her head. "I do not make excuses. Only people who are ashamed make excuses."

Booth pointed out, "Bones, two guys at the same time, it's not right. I mean, that's why they invented dueling."

Brennan started to ask as the elevator doors opened. "How can you say…"

Sweets smiled at them and asked, "Hey, you guys ready?"

Brennan didn't want to discuss this in front of Sweets. She shook her head and told Booth, "I know what I'm doing, Booth."

Brennan stepped into the elevator but Booth put his hand on the door to hold it open. "My gut says you're going with your gut on this one, and we all know how that ends up. Not good."

Sweets could see the tension as he asked, "Uh, is there something we need to discuss before getting to work?"

Brennan didn't see anything wrong with her meeting with both of them. "No, no. Just call me when you find something of value."

Booth took his hand away from the elevator door and shook his head. Not gonna end good, he just knew it. He looked at Sweets and told him, "No, it's nothing. It's just, she's got a…date."

Sweets eyebrows raised. "Oh. And how do you feel about that?"

Booth glared slightly at the kid. He still hadn't done anything yet about what he had learned about what Sweets did. But right then wasn't a good time. He knew that Brennan was just being naïve, and he just wanted to protect her. "It's not about me, okay? Let's go look at those videos."

~BONES~

Brennan was sitting at a table with Jason DeFry, the botanist, at the Royal Diner when Booth and Sweets walked up to them and Booth interrupted them, "Hey, Bones." Booth turned to the botanist and smiled, "Hi. I'm Special Agent Booth, her partner."

Jason smiled nervously, "Hi."

Sweets waved, "I'm Dr. Lance Sweets. I'm their therapist."

Jason introduced himself, "Jason DeFry."

Booth was going to try to remember that. "DeFry." Background check, definitely.

Jason looked at Sweets and asked, "Do you follow them around all the time?"

Sweets shook his head as he laughed a little, "No. No, no,n o. I'm also a profiler. I help with the cases." He then asked Booth, "Did you know that she was on a date?"

Booth shrugged as he smiled tightly, "Slipped my mind." He then looked back at Jason, "Spiffy suit, man." Drugs maybe.

Jason smiled at that. "Thanks. Picked it up in Italy."

Booth couldn't help but poke a little, "Little tight, huh?"

Jason tugged at his jacket and said self-consciously, "It's the style."

Booth started questioning, "You ever been married?"

Jason shook his head, "No."

Booth narrowed his eyes as he asked, "Got a kid?"

Jason tried to joke, "Never been married, remember?"

Booth sat a little straighter in his seat, "I have a kid."

Sweets pointed out – unfortunately it wasn't true. "He's never been married."

Brennan could see that Booth was shaking his head not at what Sweets said, but because he didn't like what Jason said. He was very protective of Parker. She cleared her throat and said, "I should get to work, Jason. We've got a murderer to catch, you understand?"

Jason stood up immediately, happy to get out of the crossfire. "Of course, of course. You know, it's getting late anyway. Listen, I have Coldplay tickets for tomorrow night. Thought maybe we'd grab a bite first. Any interest?"

Brennan still needed to tell him about her newest relationship status. "Absolutely. I might have to leave from work."

Jason waved that off, "No problem. I'll meet you at your office at 6:00?"

Brennan nodded, "I'll be there."

He gave Brennan a double kiss on her cheeks before he waved to the rest of everyone, "Nice meeting you all."

Booth definitely didn't have to worry now. Mark wouldn't think anything if he saw Jason. "Yeah." Booth laughed a little as he sat down in the vacated chair, "No wonder you two are platonic."

Brennan looked at him confused, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders, "Well, look, I'm fine with it, Bones, really. I have zero problems with it, but... that guy is gay."

Brennan shook her head, "He is not gay."

Booth snorted, "Please. Double cheek kiss, tight Italian suit..."

Sweets laughed as he said, "Coldplay."

Booth added, "Never married..."

Sweets pointed out again, "Coldplay."

Brennan told them, "Jason is as heterosexual as either of you."

Booth asked, "Then how is it that he was okay with not having sex?"

Sweets didn't even pay attention to the past tense terminology as he asked, "What?"

Brennan huffed, "Uh, we share an intellectual bond. I don't have physical feelings for him. He understands that."

Booth looked at her pointedly. "Not if he's straight." He then asked Sweets, "Right? Am I right?"

Sweets spoke without thinking, "You are hot."

Brennan and Booth looked at the kid awkwardly for a few seconds before Brennan asked, "You're here for a reason?"

Sweets cleared his throat as he told her, "Um, we got something off the DVDs..."

Booth looked down and saw what Jason had been eating. "Mint tea, fruit tart?"

Brennan glared at Booth, irritated that they had interrupted her meal before she could tell Jason about Booth. "Okay, speak, Sweets, please."

Sweets tried to move on, "Okay, okay. Um, most of the cheaters were essentially cowards, seeking alternate sexual experiences because they're too afraid to confront the problems in their own lives."

Brennan didn't agree with that. "Just because someone seeks an alternative sexual outlet doesn't mean that they're a coward."

Booth said bluntly, "She has issues."

Brennan looked at him angrily, "I do not have issues."

Booth pointed out what she had done back in the day. "Case in point: Deep-sea welder and a botanist."

Sweets didn't get it. "What, did they go into a bar?"

Booth honestly didn't know where the kid's brain went sometimes. "Huh? What? No. Brennan's two boyfriends."

Sweets laughed a little as he guessed, "Oh. Right. Let me guess, that one's the botanist."

Booth laughed and smiled as he nodded, "Yeah."

Brennan glared at both men. "So you have nothing."

Booth cleared his throat, realizing that he might have gone a little too far with an audience. "Show her."

Sweets handed her his phone as he told her, "This is Jim Dodd."

Booth told her their theory, "The photograph that you pulled out of O'Roarke's throat, turns out that Jim Dodd used to be a mall photographer at Tiny Tots Photography. Motive and means. Yeah, I mean, his landlord said he disappeared five days ago, no forwarding address."

Brennan looked up at him and asked, "And you think he left because he was planning to kill Bill O'Roarke?"

Booth shrugged, "Yeah, it fits, okay? Landlord also said he has a drinking buddy by the name of Chris Gutman. We're looking for him." Brennan gave him a look. "What?"

Brennan sighed as she shook her head, "This couldn't have waited till after I said good night to Jason?"

Booth leaned forward and told her, "I'm just looking out for you, all right? You don't have the, uh, best taste in men." Excluding him of course as she well knew.

~BONES~

Brennan was talking with Cam and Angela as Cam said, "I want to show you what I found lodged in Bill O'Roarke's lower intestine."

Brennan sighed as she thought back to how Booth had been acting. She decided to use this opportunity to make everyone think she was dating and to get advice. "I can't understand why Booth has an issue with me seeing two men."

Cam shrugged, "Guys like to think they're the only ones who should sleep with more than one person. "

Angela smiled as she said, "They like to be in control. Doesn't take a lot to throw the little darlings off their game."

Cam laughed a little as she said, "Oh, yeah, then you end up lying in bed holding them while they say, 'I don't know what's wrong, this has never happened to me before.'"

Brennan said, "He should be happy that I've found a way to satisfy myself. It just happens to require two men."

Angela smiled as she thought back to the old days. "I've done that. I miss college."

Cam asked, "And the botanist, no biological imperative?"

Brennan shook her head, "He's flirted with the intent to become intimate, but Mark keeps me quite sated sexually."

Angela shook her head as she smiled at Brennan, "You really got to learn some girl talk, sweetie."

~BONES~

As they walked down the street to meet Noel, Booth told Brennan, "So Sergeant Diamond's firearm wasn't a match. She wasn't even in town Friday and Monday. She was with her husband fixing her marriage at some tantric sex workshop."

Brennan smiled at that. "I've heard that if practiced correctly, tantric sexual techniques can extend orgasms by 4 to 500 percent."

Booth's eyes widened at that. "Whoa, they actually teach that?" 500 percent was a lot. That would kill him. But man would it be an experience…maybe something they could try. Later of course.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were coming out of her office as he asked, "So, you sure?"

Brennan nodded as she looked at him, "Yeah, it's the only person who makes sense." She then looked forward and saw Mark. "Mark, wha-what are you doing here?"

Mark looked at her confused, "Well, you told me to pick you up. With dinner?"

Brennan took in a deep breath and said, "I... am so sorry. I... there's been an emergency."

Mark looked at Booth and then back at Brennan remembering that Booth had been the man in her apartment. "Okay, do you want me to reschedule, or...?"

Jason walked up to the group then and smiled, "Temperance."

Brennan looked at Jason confused and very embarrassed, "Jason! What are you doing here?"

Jason told her, "We're going to Coldplay, remember?"

Booth knew that this was going to end badly. But he couldn't help getting amused by the situation. "You remember Coldplay. "

Mark looked at Jason and asked, "Coldplay?"

Brennan sighed as she shook her head, "Sorry, I've been distracted by the case."

Mark pouted a little as he asked, "Why didn't we ever go to a concert? As a matter of fact, why didn't we ever leave your bedroom?"

Brennan cleared her as she tried to get out of there. "Um, can we talk about this later? We're about to arrest..."

Jason looked at Mark and asked, "You're dating this guy?"

Brennan shook her head as she said, "I -I don't like that term. It has an antiquated moral and needlessly restrictive connotation."

Mark looked at Jason and asked, "And who are you?"

Jason straightened his suit as he said tersely, "Obviously, a guy who is not doing as well as you."

Brennan sighed internally as she said, "This is Jason. Jason, Mark. Mark, Jason. Please understand, Jason, you're very good-looking, but sexual attraction is an involuntary hormonal response involving an increase in neutrophins and testosterone."

Mark asked Jason, "So you get to go out?"

Brennan tried to explain why she did what she did in the past, "Mark, you are a strong and attentive man, but Jason is more stimulating, intellectually."

Jason bristled at that. "That's not the only way I could be stimulating."

Booth could see that Brennan was having a hard time with and took pity on her. "Um, murderer?"

Brennan looked at him, saying thank you silently, "Murderer, yes."

Mark finally snapped and pointed at Booth, "What do you do with this one, Temperance?"

Brennan looked at Booth and sighed, "Oh... this-uh, Booth is my partner, and, um…" She really didn't want to say this in the lab.

Booth saved her again as he whispered, "We should go."

Brennan nodded her head, "Yes, okay. All right. Oh, Jason, we can talk at the concert. I'll meet you out front by 8:00, and Mark, we can talk later at my apartment."

Booth knew that those were going to be some conversations. He walked past the guys as he grabbed one of the drinks Mark had. "Oh, yeah. See ya, boys. Thanks. I'll grab one of those."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan walked inside Sweets office for their session. "Hey. Come on in. You look nice, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan nodded as she said tightly, "Oh, thank you, uh... I was supposed to go to a...gallery opening tonight."

Booth knew that she hadn't spoken with Jason or Mark the prior night since they had come home so late. He joked lightly, "What, did Jason get a new tight suit?"

Brennan shook her head, "With Mark."

Sweets joked, "Yeah, the two amigos."

Booth's brow furrowed as he said, "I thought he was more of your, uh, stay at home kind of a guy."

Brennan sniffed slightly as she said, "I was visiting the possibility that I might enjoy him in a strictly conversational setting."

Booth knew something was wrong but he didn't know what. She was very tense. "And?"

Brennan told them honestly, "Since the murder, I'm considering the argument for monogamy." She was of course in a monogamous relationship with Booth, but she didn't necessarily agree that everyone should be. However now…she did.

Booth smiled as he said trying to lighten the mood, "Write that one down, Sweets. I have a positive influence on her."

Brennan shook her head. "No, you don't. "

Booth smiled at her as he tried to make her to be happy, "Yes, I do."

Brennan didn't know how to say this in front of Sweets, so she told him candidly, "Mark broke up with me."

Booth now knew why she was tense. "Oh. Sorry. Well, what about 'gay Jason'?"

Brennan shook her head. "Him, too. I guess they weren't as accepting of each other as I thought, so..." Brennan could see that Booth was trying his hardest not to reach out for her and that was the one thing that she wanted. She had tried to explain to Jason and Mark about Booth and how she wanted to just be friends and then she tried to explain why she had been seeing both of them at the same time all those years ago.

Sweets smiled as he asked breaking through their bubble, "Is it typical for you two to discuss your love lives?"

Booth joked, again trying to make Brennan laugh, "Well, I mean, only when she has naked men in her apartment."

Brennan smiled a little as she shot back, "No, that's not true. I'm very open about my relationships, as opposed to you."

Booth took offense to that, "Okay, what's that supposed to mean?"

Brennan shrugged her shoulders as she said, "You're very secretive. As if discussing your sex life would somehow be offensive to me. I assume you are sexually active."

Booth gave her an intense look as he said, "I do fine."

Sweets smiled as he observed, "Does it seem that your partnership provides a surrogate relationship, making it more difficult to form other bonds?"

Brennan remembered again what had happened and said quietly, "A surrogate relationship wouldn't necessarily be such a bad thing because then I could avoid the sting of rejection, which, however fleeting, is still uncomfortable."

Booth leaned as close as he could to her in front of Sweets as he said, "Right. Okay, look, I'm sorry. You know what? If Mark and Jason don't know how lucky they are, they don't deserve you in the first place."

Brennan said to him softly as she voiced her fear, "All relationships are temporary."

Booth scooted a little closer as he told her, "No, that's not true, Bones. You're wrong. Okay, there is someone for everyone. Someone you're meant to spend the rest of your life with. All right? You just have to be open enough to see it. That's all." They stared at each other for a few minutes before Booth smiled at her as he said, "Come on, I'll buy you dinner. Hey, I can be fun in a strictly conversational setting."

Sweets pointed out, "See? Surrogate relationship."

Booth shook his head as he said to throw the kid off. "Surrogate nothing. Okay? It's a meal. With drinks. Just strictly conversational."

Sweets said, "I can come, too."

Brennan let Booth help her put on her jacket as he slowly slid his hand down her spine lovingly. "Actually, our partnership does make it difficult to form other bonds- no offense."

Sweets told them, "Our session isn't over yet."

Booth placed his hand on her lower back as he started to guide her out of the office, "How about Chinese?"

Sweets tried one more time, "I love Chinese. Love it."

Brennan shook her head as she smiled gratefully at him, "I feel more like Thai."

Booth exclaimed, "Thai? I got coupons to Hop Li."

Brennan slapped Booth's arm as she said, "What, you're gonna take me out for a discount meal?"

Booth closed the door behind him as he said, "What? There's two for one, and then they throw in some..."

Brennan turned around and grabbed his lapels, silencing with a kiss. They broke apart as she whispered, "Thank you Booth."

Booth smiled down at her and said, "Anything for my Bones." He then kissed her gently on her lips before he said, "And Bones, I'm serious, if those guys can't see what they're losing with your friendship, it's their loss. If I couldn't have you any other way than just as a friend, I'd take it and hold on. I'd never let you go and I never will."

Brennan smiled at him lovingly as she slipped her hand through his arm and rested her head against his shoulder as they walked through the empty Hoover building to the elevators.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 – The Finger in the Nest**

Booth lifted up Parker onto his shoulders so he could look into the nest. Parker's eyes widened as he saw something, "I see something."

Booth warned his son, "Well, if it's an egg, don't touch it because if the mommy bird comes back…"

Parker shook his head as he said excitedly, "It's not an egg."

Booth asked, "What is it?"

Parker picked it up and said gleefully, "It's somebody's finger."

Booth nearly shouted as he said, "What?" He lowered Parker onto the ground and looked at the finger in his son's hand. He reached into his pockets and retrieved a piece of paper and quickly grabbed the finger from Parker's hand and said, "Okay, don't freak out bub."

Parker smiled slightly as he continued to look at it. "It's so cool. Can I keep it?"

Booth shook his head as he started to call it in. After he hung up with dispatch, he called Brennan. "Bones, can you meet us at the park now? We got a problem here."

Brennan asked confused as she grabbed her jacket and started heading out of her office. "What is it Booth?"

Booth sighed as he looked at the finger again. "Parks found a finger."

~BONES~

Brennan had just driven up to Booth's SUV as she noticed that an FBI team was already there. She walked over to where Booth was standing. "Booth, what happened?"

Booth turned around and sighed in relief. "Bones, good you're here." He rubbed his hand across his face before he told her, "Parker saw a nest in the tree and wanted to see inside of it. That's where he found the finger. God, he's going to be traumatized."

Brennan placed a soothing hand on his arm as she asked softly, "What did Parker say about the finger?"

Booth laughed slightly as he shook his head, "He wanted to put it in his pocket and take it home."

Brennan smiled at that. "Let me just look at the finger for a second and then we can leave." She walked over to the FBI techs and asked to see the finger. After her preliminary findings she told the techs to send it to her lab as well as anything from the bird's nest that could help them. Then she walked over to Booth again and they started to walk to his car.

They walked over to the side that was facing away from the scene, the side that Parker was on in the back seat. Brennan opened the door, finding a very bored Parker. He looked at her and smiled widely. "Bones! What are you doing here?"

Brennan smiled at him. "Hey Parks. Your dad called me. He also told me you found the finger."

Parker slumped back and grumbled, "Yeah, but he won't let me keep it."

Brennan almost laughed a little and looked back at Booth with an amused look. Parker seemed fine to her. She smoothed her hand through his hair as she told him, "Well, we need it so we can find out who it belonged to and who mur…"Booth cleared his throat and she rephrased her sentence, "And find out what happened to him. But if you need to talk about what you saw, you know you can talk to us about it, right?"

Parker nodded as he sighed, "Yeah I know. I just want to take it home. It's so cool!"

Brennan laughed softly before she leaned in and whispered to him, "Well, maybe you can come to the lab next time and help me with a set of bones I need to identify."

Parker's eyes widened in excitement. "Really?" Brennan nodded as Parker lunged into and hugged her tightly, "That's so cool. I love you, Bones."

Brennan rubbed his back as she whispered to him, "I love you too Parks." After that Booth buckled him in and closed the door. Brennan squeezed his arm comfortingly and told him, "He seems fine, Booth. I wouldn't worry about it."

Booth leaned against his car again and just sighed. "Maybe I'll have him talk with Sweets, just in case. I'll meet you at the lab. I gotta get to the office to inform Cullen about how we found the finger."

Brennan didn't understand why Booth would want Parker to talk with Sweets, however, she didn't say anything. She just nodded and kissed him gently on his cheek before she walked over to her car.

~BONES~

Booth was sitting in the SUV while Brennan leaned against it at their new crime scene. Brennan knew that Booth was still concerned about Parker, so she told him, "When I was five years old, I went next door to visit our neighbor, Mrs. Walkey, and she was dead; sitting at the kitchen table. And I'm alright."

Booth was not comforted by that. "You spend your life with skeletons. It's just a matter of time. He's just a kid. He's gonna realize that he had a dead finger in his hand. He's gonna freak out."

Brennan asked the question that she knew was bothering him a lot as well. "Are you afraid you're going to get into trouble with Rebecca?"

Booth said somewhat hopefully, "There's a chance that he might not say anything to her."

Brennan shook her head as she laughed slightly, "So, yes." Booth wasn't able to respond to that because one of the techs called them over.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan drove up to a run-down shack with lots of machinery. Two dogs were sitting outside as Booth said, "Wow, look at that pit, huh? Muscles like cantaloupes."

Brennan was about to open her door when he stopped her. She looked at him and asked, "Is that why we're not getting out?"

Booth shook his head. "No, it's the country, Bones. They got a different way of doing things."

Brennan raised an eyebrow and smiled. She said teasingly, "You're afraid of the dog."

Booth shot her a looked as he said, "No, I'm not. What you do in the country is you sit in your car and you wait. It's rural-polite." After a few seconds of silence Booth told her, "Parker had a nightmare."

Brennan looked at him with concern. "About severed fingers?"

Booth sighed. "No, it was a singing frog."

Brennan was confused by that. "I don't see the connection. But then I'm one of those people who thinks that if you dream about a banana, it's probably just a banana."

Booth sighed again. Rebecca had called him that morning telling him of the trouble that Parker got into the day before. Booth had decided to drive Parker to school then and that's when he had told him about the nightmare. "He's acting up in school, he's talking back to his mom, he's not flushing the toilet."

Brennan still didn't get it. "He's a boy."

Booth blew out in frustration. "Okay, yeah. I get it. You saw a whole lady's corpse when you were a little girl, and you were fine."

Brennan nodded as she said, "Yes. Although, for some reason that I do not understand, I kept staging my own death. Pretending that I drowned in the bathtub, faking electrical shock. It really freaked my parents out. And then once when Russ found me hanging he had to go see the school psychologist."

Booth looked at her. That honestly was not helping his nerves. At all. "But otherwise you were fine?"

Brennan nodded her head. "Yeah."

Booth shook his head at her. She was unbelievable sometimes. "Yeah, okay. Do you dream about bananas a lot?"

Brennan looked at him, thinking that was an odd question to ask. She did dream about bananas though, not a lot per se but still. "Why?" Booth shrugged his shoulders and Brennan was about to ask something else when she noticed that a man was outside now.

~BONES~

Cesar, Booth and Brennan were walking around the buildings looking for any signs of a dogfight as Cesar told them, "You don't hurt the ones you love. You don't send the ones you love to their death for entertainment."

Brennan stopped and looked into a holding pen as Booth spoke to Cesar, "You must really hate these guys."

Cesar nodded solemnly, "I really do."

Booth noticed that Brennan stepped into the pen and looked at freshly turned dirt. But he also noticed how her shoulders were tense and he posture was ramrod straight. He walked up to her and asked softly, "What is it?"

Brennan looked at the pit and told him sadly, "He said that the dogs fight to their death. So we should have expected this. It's a mass grave. These seem to be all dog bones, but there's other stuff too; some trash, betting slips."

Booth tried to console her the best way he could at the time, "We'll send it all back to the Jeffersonian. See if we can trace the betting slips. Find these people and charge them."

Brennan clenched her jaw, fighting back a wave of emotions, before she said softly, "Yes, that would make me feel a bit better if we did that."

Cesar then called out, "Agent Booth, we found something."

~BONES~

Brennan was sitting on the couch in her office, looking at her computer with Ripley when Booth walked in. "Hey, Bones. Don Timmons' alibi checked out. He was in Chicago…" He trailed off though when he saw what was in Brennan's lap. "Whoa, what are you doing?"

Brennan looked at him confused at his tone of concern. "I'm just going through the case to see if I missed anything."

Booth pointed to Ripley and said, "Uh, the dog should be, you know, in the cage. He killed Seth Elliot."

Brennan hugged the dog a little closer as she said, "It's not his fault. He's actually a very nice dog, aren't you? He reminds me of you."

Booth looked at her surprised. "Me?"

Brennan smiled as she said, "He's got warm and reassuring brown eyes and he's capable of great violence."

Booth gave her a deadpan look. She had to go there. "Hey, great. Thanks a million."

He started to walk away when Brennan realized her mistake in her wording. "Wait, Booth." He stopped and turned around. She chewed her bottom lip for a second before she decided to talk about the case first, "Look at this cruelty. They send dogs into fight, to die or be hurt, and then they stitch them back up and they send them out to fight again. You know, we've been assuming that it's been Seth Elliot doctoring these dogs."

Booth shrugged his shoulders as he looked at the pictures. "Well, he was a vet."

Brennan had thought that as well. "But look common suture stitch. See here how it's uneven in the same way, and then there's an 'x' at the end?"

Booth didn't get where she was going with that. "So?"

Brennan told him, "It's distinctive. And I've seen it before." She could see Booth's comprehension on his face. "I'll put Ripley back and then we can go."

Booth nodded and said to her, "You've gotten quite attached to Ripley, Bones, don't you think?"

Brennan shrugged as she led the dog back to the cage. "He's very lovable." She turned to Booth after closing the cage and said, "And Booth, what I meant before wasn't that you're violent per se. Both you and Ripley are very protective and you would both do anything to protect what is as you perceive 'yours'. Which isn't a bad thing. It's something I find I like very much in you both as a partner and mate."

Booth smiled at her explanation and said, "Thanks Bones. C'mon let's go get this guy."

Brennan started to follow him out of her office when she asked him, "What would you think about adopting a dog, Booth?"

~BONES~

Brennan walked into Booth's office to find him sitting at his desk. She was excited about their agreement. Booth was a little apprehensive at first about getting a dog, but after a little coaxing, he agreed to the idea. His only requirement was that the dog wasn't going to be one of those lap dogs. He wanted one he could take out on their runs and something he could play with and not be afraid to hurt. Brennan smiled at him as she said, "Hey."

Booth looked up from his paperwork and smiled at her as well. "Hey. Robbie Timmons gave a statement. Andrew Hopp set the dog on Seth Elliot. Apparently Elliot was furious when he found out the dog he'd given to Timmons was used in dogfighting. "

Brennan nodded in understanding, "Dr. Elliot took all those photos to turn into the police."

Booth sighed in disgust at how this turned out. "Andrew Hopp would have lost his main source of income. He would have been forced to leave medical school."

Brennan hesitated for a second before asking, "What about the rest of the people in the dogfighting ring?"

Booth told her gently, "Don't worry about it. We'll round 'em up." He then noticed the bag Brennan had in her hand. "So, what do you got there?"

Brennan smiled brightly at him as she took out a collar and a leash. "Well, I've decided to adopt Ripley."

Booth sighed internally at that. God, she was going to be crushed. "Bones…"

Brennan thought that Booth was about to tell her that he didn't want Ripley, so she rushed on to make him see that everything was going to be okay. "I've already contacted a dog walker and a doggie day care place, and my dad will take him when we leave town. Plus, he meets all of your requirements. I got a little tag. See? Ripley Brennan-Booth."

Booth looked at her sadly as he said gently, "He was put down."

Brennan couldn't believe it. "What?"

Booth stood up from his chair and walked over to her. "I'm sorry. You know, he killed someone and they had to put him down."

Brennan shook her head, "It wasn't Ripley's fault. People made him do what he did."

Booth rubbed her arms gently as he spoke to her softly, "I know. I'm sorry."

Brennan looked up at Booth with tear-filled eyes. "You can tell he's a good-natured dog." She saw Booth nodded his head as she sighed. "They put him down?"

Booth nodded, "Yeah."

Brennan swore, "Damn it."

Booth brought her into a hug as he murmured, "Bones, I'm sorry."

Brennan hugged him back and asked him softly, "What are they going to do with his remains?"

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were in a copse of trees. Booth was putting dirt into Ripley's grave when Brennan stopped him. "Hey, Booth? Can I do that?"

Booth looked at her with concern and asked, "You sure?"

Brennan nodded. "Yeah, you dug it." As she started to place the dirt back into the grave she asked, "So did Sweets help you with Parker?"

Booth sighed in relief at that situation. "Yeah. I told Parker that it's best to just walk away sometimes."

Brennan looked at him slightly confused, "What, sometimes? Isn't it always better to walk away? You know, this dog would still be alive if he wasn't forced to fight."

Booth rubbed a hand across his face as he said, "I told him to walk away if it's for himself, and to stand up and fight if it's for someone else. I don't know if that was the right thing to say, but…"

Brennan stopped shoveling and looked at Booth. She told him solemnly, "You're a very good father, Booth."

Booth smiled his thanks to her before she went back to finishing the grave. As she stepped back toward him he asked, "So, did you want to say something?"

Brennan sniffed softly before she looked at him and said indignantly, "Well… I feel that this dog, Ripley, paid a price that was unfair."

Booth told her gently, "It's not my fault, Bones, why're you talking to me?"

Brennan looked at him confused, "What? You're the only one here."

Booth smiled at her as he offered, "Talk to the universe… or God or Ripley."

Brennan told him, "Well, I don't believe in God."

Booth knew that this whole case had been rough on Brennan, so he tried to lighten the mood a little with a joke. "Well, God spelled backwards is dog."

Brennan smiled a little at his attempt before she told him, "And Ripley is dead. Plus he's a dog, with, you know… limited vocabulary skills."

Booth told her, "Bones, just… speak from your heart."

Brennan nodded before she looked out into the trees and said, "On behalf of humankind, universe, I'd like to apologize for what happened to Ripley. He was born a cute little puppy and then the people who adopted him wanted to kill him because they were too stupid to realize that he would grow into a big dog."

Booth walked over to her, lacing his fingers with hers as he whispered, "That's good."

Brennan looked at him as she continued to say, her emotions making her voice thick, "Ripley was a good dog. He didn't wanna fight. But he did it to please his master. Y'know, he didn't want to attack a human being, but he did it to please his master. You know, it wasn't Ripley's fault that his master was cruel and selfish. Like all dogs, Ripley only saw the good in people. Dogs are like that. People should take a lesson." Brennan felt Booth squeeze her hand before she slipped from his grasp and pulled out the dog tag. She pressed it into the soil and then placed a little bit more dirt on top of it. She then looked at Booth and asked, "Is that enough?"

Booth walked up to her again as said as he touched her shoulder, "Yeah. As much as any good dog…hey, could hope for. Even with limited vocabulary skills, okay?" Brennan started to tear up and she willingly went into Booth's embrace. Sometimes that's all you needed. Comfort from the ones you love.

* * *

 **A/N2: Not a lot happened in this one. I hope that scene with Parker in the beginning was good. I was a little iffy about it. Reviews are loved!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 – The Perfect Pieces in the Purple Pond**

Booth and Brennan were walking alongside another agent as he showed them where the crime scene was. Booth asked as they walked toward the scene, "How many pieces in total?"

The agent informed his superior, "Twelve. Interesting anomaly; no head."

Brennan raised a brow at that. "No head? That's odd."

The agent sort of glared at her – in which Booth took immediate notice of – and told her snidely, "Which is why I said 'anomaly'."

Booth raised a warning hand at the agent and said as he took a step in front of Brennan, "Hey, you don't need to be snippy with my partner, pal."

Brennan noticed her husband's stance as one of protectiveness which also let her see how he was walking. She focused on the first part though as she placed a hand on his arm and told him softly, "Booth, it's alright." She then observed him for a few more seconds before she knew exactly what she was seeing. "Whoa, what's wrong with your back?"

Booth waved off her concern. "Oh, nothing."

Brennan gave him a knowing look. "Well you're walking as if you've strained your intertransverse ligament. I might be able to help with that."

Booth shook his head. He had known being persuaded by his son to go down that slide was a bad idea, but Bones had brought her camera and Parker was growing up so fast, he didn't want to waste a good moment for some pictures. "No I should never have gone down that small slide with Parker." At her look of concern, Booth said quickly, "I'll be fine; it's just nothing, okay?

The agent showed them to the small pool. "Body parts were found in this evaporation pool."

Booth looked down at the water and immediately took notice of the color. "That's purple!"

The agent nodded his head as he explained, "Yeah, kid said it turned purple when he peed in it."

Brennan looked at the water and then at the agent again as she said, "For future reference, this is more of an anomaly than a missing head."

The agent snorted softly and said under his breath, "Sad comment on your life, Doc."

Booth took a step toward the agent as he said, "Again, snippy. You know, if my back wasn't bad, I would hit you."

Brennan knew for a fact that a bad back wasn't going to hinder Booth if someone didn't intervene. So she did the best thing she could think of, she said the one thing that he hated to hear, "Booth! I can take care of myself." As she saw him clench his teeth in aggravation, she knew that the prior situation was handled – which the incompetent agent should thank her for – and she continued on with her observations, "Size of the limbs suggest that our victim is a fully-grown male."

Booth blew out a breath of frustration before he focused back on the case at hand. "What is with the purple water?"

Brennan had no idea. "Hodgins can analyze it."

Booth clapped his hands – the prior incident with his wife forgotten – and said to her, "Alright don't tell me, you want the entire purple pond drained and shipped back to the Jeffersonian."

Brennan looked down at the water and shook her head, "No, I think a small sample will do."

Booth smiled widely at her. "Great!"

Brennan then thought about it and said, "Although... Skulls are heavy; the head could have sunk to the bottom. You are correct. We should drain it."

Booth knew that it was too good to be true. He sighed and then yelled out, "We're draining it. Drain it."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were inside his SUV however Brennan was very surprised – and concerned – that she was the one driving this time. She spoke her concern aloud, "If your back doesn't hurt, then why are you letting me drive?"

Booth shot her a look telling her not to go there before he said, "Well, you know what? Don't get used to it, okay? I heal really, really fast. My guys, they didn't find the victim's head in the pool. Alright? But I put out a bulletin to orthopedic doctors within two hundred miles of the body drop…"

Brennan corrected, "Body parts drop. The victim was killed, chopped up and then dropped." Booth started to smile at her precision, which she noticed, "What?"

Booth's smile widened as he said, "Breaking in a new intern aren't you?"

Brennan was surprised that he could guess that – although by now she shouldn't be. "How did you know?"

Booth shrugged as he told her, "Well, because, you know, you always get overly precise... that's how I usually know. Hey, so, you want me to uh, talk to them, break them in a little bit?"

Brennan sighed at that. He was always trying to make things easier for her. But she wasn't fragile. She knew that he was only doing it because it being still so close to what happened with him and Zack, but she was okay now. "No, Booth, you don't need to fix everything for everyone all the time. You know? I can handle myself."

Booth looked at her as he told her seriously, "Partners, you know spouses, they watch out for each other."

Brennan knew that he was only trying to help but that wasn't a one way street. "Well, if that were true, you'd let me fix your back."

Booth again waved that off, "My back is fine, alright? All I need is an aspirin, a hot bath, maybe a nice single malt scotch." He then hurriedly dove back into the case, "We cross referenced Ehler-DanlosSyndrome…"

Brennan corrected, "Ailers-Donlohs"

Booth nodded as he said, "…those, those kiddy shoes Ange tracked down, okay, we came up with this guy here."

Brennan looked at the screen and read, "Oh, Jared Addison, twenty-five years old."

Booth looked up at her and shouted, "Watch the road!"

Brennan looked at him, startled, as she yelled back, "What, I am watching the road." As he continued on by saying at the same time, "Twenty-five years old." Brennan pursed her lips and told him, "I am an excellent driver."

Booth shoot back at her after that, "Oh, well you're not; you're looking at the screen." Brennan glared at him slightly as he finished, "Well I'm guessing that that's our victim." Brennan knew this was going to be a long case if Booth was going to continue acting like such. And Booth knew that as well. But he just couldn't help it.

~BONES~

Brennan, Booth, and Sweets were in Jared's room as Sweets began his observations, "These action figurines? They're awesome."

Booth teased the boy, "Still living at home there, huh Sweets?"

Sweets almost pouted before he answered, "No, I have my own place. And before that, I lived with a woman, alright?"

Brennan smiled at Sweets as she teased him as well, "Was that woman your mother?"

Booth smiled at Brennan and then Sweets as he said, "Yeah, your mommy?"

Sweets shook his head and said with a hint of remembrance in his voice, "No, she most definitely was not my mother." He then spoke his first idea, "If our victim's twenty-five years old, I'd assume he was mentally slow?"

Brennan shook her head. "Given the complexity of his novels, I'd estimate his IQ to be higher than yours."

Sweets nodded at that and told them, "Then Booth is right - something else is wrong."

Booth knew that he had seen something was just off with the room. "Ha, full speed ahead Sweets. Alright, let me have it - come on."

Sweets looked at a few more things in the room and then he got it. "It goes without saying! Everything is perfectly aligned. Obsessive compulsive."

Brennan could never get the usefulness of psychology. "How does this help us?"

Sweets explained, "People with OCD repeat patterns in their lives in order to stave off psychological panic. Now, if we ask which of Jared Addison's set patterns have recently been disrupted... we may very well discover what got him killed."

Brennan looked at Sweets confused, "No, we can't ask Jared Addison. He's dead"

Sweets looked at Booth and said, "She is wicked literal, huh?"

Booth stood a little taller as he told the kid, "Okay, hey, it's her process, don't be mean to her."

Brennan slapped his arm and gave him a look. He was doing it again. "Booth!"

Booth raised his hands in the air and told her, "I'm not defending, I'm just explaining."

Brennan started to say, "I can defend…" But at registering his words she told him, "You were defending."

Booth didn't want to get into this right then. "I was explaining."

Sweets had been observing the two, intrigued by the new turn. "Whoa, this is an interesting development in your interpersonal behaviors."

Brennan glared at Booth before she told Sweets in a silent retaliation, "No, what's more interesting is that Booth's back hurts and he won't let me fix it."

Booth tried to wave this whole conversation away as he said, "No, none of this is interesting, okay? Look, I just want to know what mojo disrupted crazy boy's pattern." God this was going to be a long case.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were in the interrogation room with Tushman. "Publishing game has changed. You know what I mean, Doctor Brennan."

Brennan looked at him confused. "No, I do not."

Booth definitely didn't know what the guy was talking about. "Well, try me, Mr. Tushman."

Tushman shrugged his shoulders as he told them, "Book-wise it's no longer about good writing, per se, it's about marketability."

Brennan said, "Of the book."

Tushman shook his head, "Of the author. There's a reason why your photo takes up the entire back cover of your books."

Brennan sat back in her chair as she said, "Because I'm a very good writer."

Tushman told her plainly, "You're serviceable. But your success is contingent upon your image as a hot scientist chick."

Brennan looked up at Booth and asked concerned, "That's not true is it?"

Booth knew that wasn't true and reassured her, "No, of course not. Don't call my partner a chick. What's the matter with you?" He glared at Tushman wishing the guy would do something to provoke him into punching him.

~BONES~

Cam told everyone on the platform, "It wasn't blood. On the shovel, it wasn't blood."

Booth looked at her confused. "Bones' magic juice didn't work."

Brennan didn't like it when he called it that. "No, phenolphthalein is not magic."

Hodgins began to explain, "It's an indicator that reacts with…"

But Wendell finished for him, "Potato protein."

Angela for one couldn't believe that. "Potatoes?"

Hodgins nodded his head, "Yeah, fenalphaline turns pink in the presence of potatoes."

Booth looked at the group still trying to figure out if he should be enraged or amused. "I locked the guy up because of potatoes.

Brennan pointed out, "He might have done it, Booth. But we all know that without the victim's head we aren't likely to solve this murder."

Hodgins offered, "Well maybe Wendell here missed something in the bones."

Wendell shook his head a little offended, "I didn't."

Angela stood up for the newbie as well. "Don't blame Wendell; he's doing very well."

Hodgins sighed as he said, "I just wish Zack were here, that's all.:

Booth knew that thinking was going to get everyone down and he didn't want a sad Bones on his hands again after having just gotten back to normal. "You gotta get over it. Zack's not coming back."

However Zack called out from behind him, "I know where to find the victim's head."

Cam looked at Zack and said slowly, "This is not good."

Brennan stepped up behind Booth and looked at Zack in shock. "How did you get out?"

Zack tilted his head to the side and said, "You don't appear happy to see me."

Booth couldn't believe it. This case had just gotten a whole lot worse. "Oh, we're not."

Brennan smiled at Zack and started down the stairs as she said, "Well I am! I really am! Zack!"

Hodgins and Angela came down the stairs as well as Brennan hugged him. Hodgins smiled at Zack and said, "Hey buddy!"

Cam mumbled to Booth, "Well I doubt he got a weekend pass."

Booth still couldn't believe it! "Zack, how'd you get out?"

Zack said, "Doctor Sweets helped me."

Angela smiled widely as she stepped back. "Oh well then I totally change my mind about Sweets. I now love him."

Cam asked him, "Does Doctor Sweets know that he helped you?"

Zack shook his head. "No." He then looked down at the arm Brennan was holding onto and told her, "You're hurting my arm."

Brennan loosened her grip as she murmured, "Oh, sorry." She was just so happy to see Zack.

Booth shook his head as he walked down the stairs. "Alright Zack, you're with me and Bones. The rest of you, go play with your microscopes or whatever it is you do. Let's go, Bone Room, now. March."

Brennan looped her arm through Zack's as she guided them toward the Bone Room. "Come on."

~BONES~

Zack started right in on the case as he placed the file down on the table and showed them, "Everything in the room is organized in sets of twelve. A dozen shoes in the closet, a dozen action figures on the shelf, a dozen pencils in the pencil holder. Even books are grouped by the dozen."

Booth and Brennan said simultaneously, "I should have noticed that." Brennan then stated, "Sets of twelve must be a manifestation of Jared Addison's OCD."

Zack shook his head, "I did an analysis of his novels. There's no recurring sets of numbers. Only recurring images of germs and fear of microbes."

Booth looked at him confused, "Okay then what is with the number twelve."

Zack informed them of his other observations, "They live at twelve kindergarten street. Kindergarten has twelve letters. Alphanumeric is also a twelve letter word by the way, but I suspect that's just ironic."

Booth whispered to Brennan, "Okay, this side of him? I don't miss at all."

Zack pointed out in the pictures – ignoring Booth's comment, "Books, CDs, everything. It's always twelve. In the yard, everything comes in twelve. Paving stones, plants. Decorative rocks, gnomes. Always twelve."

Booth knew that didn't add up. "Oh."

Brennan looked at him confused, "What?"

Booth told her, "Well Jared Addison wouldn't have been gardening - he's germaphobic."

Zack nodded as he said, "Even his name - Jared Addison. Twelve letters."

Brennan knew who it was. "Oh."

Booth was the one confused now. "What?"

Brennan looked at Booth and told him, "Well he didn't name himself, his mother did."

Booth looked back and forth between her and Zack. "His mother has OCD too?"

Zack nodded his head, "That's the most reasonable conclusion."

Booth still didn't get it. "But the body was found in twelve pieces not counting the head. Why?"

Sweets walked in then and gave the answer to that question, "The incomplete saw marks on the C2 vertebra were hesitation marks. She couldn't deal with the part of the body that was her child's face. You. You used me to escape? How?"

Zack shrugged his shoulders as if it were obvious, "Your card."

Booth didn't have time for this. "Sweets, one crime at a time - murder first. Okay, why'd she kill her son?"

Sweets sighed as he told them, "He was overcoming his disorder. Jared Addison was ready to take control of his professional life. He'd found love, and was ready to leave her house. It wasn't just his patterns he was destroying. It was hers. And as a result, she suffered a psychotic break and murdered her own child. You know, I still have my card."

Zack informed him, "I swapped out the magnetic strip, with loony bin library card."

Sweets looked at him amazed, "Wait, that's why it didn't work?"

Booth honestly didn't want to be part of this. He just wanted to finish the case. "Zack. Where is Jared's head?"

Zack told them as he pointed to a birdbath, "Everything comes in twelves. Everything, except for this."

~BONES~

As Booth was about two minutes from dropping Zack off, Zack finally broke the silence. "Why do you hide it?"

Booth looked in his rearview mirror and asked, "Hide what, Zack?"

He looked at Booth and said, "Your marriage with Dr. Brennan."

Booth nearly swerved out of his lane as he heard that. He gripped his wheel tightly as he asked, "How did you find out?"

Zack shrugged his shoulders, "I don't have very much to do in the loony bin. I have a lot of time to think back on cases we worked on and I then realized all the anomalies I thought were irrelevant as to your interactions was in fact not anomalies at all. That and who Dr. Brennan reacted to your fake death and also various other factors, I came to the conclusion that it was all do to a binding relationship between you two. I then considered the other factors of why after so long of working together and everything else that happened, you were still together. Which led me to believe that you two are married. Agent Booth, you still haven't answered my question."

Booth blew out a breath as he pulled over his car. "I know." He looked out the front window for a while, gathering his thoughts. The one thing he had never expected was to have this conversation with Zack. After a few more seconds, Booth looked back up into the mirror to see Zack staring at him. "So, you 'concluded' all of that by your observations of us?" Zack nodded as Booth sighed. The kid deserved an answer. Brennan would want him to answer it. He cleared his throat before he started tell him, "Me and Bones. See, we were married before we even started working together. But before we got married I was working on that case – the one that I had to fake my death with – back then. That guy threatened me and my son. But no one knew about my relationship with Bones. And I wasn't about to throw her into the line of fire over a damn case. I wasn't about to have her threatened by him. So we kept our marriage a secret. We only told people on a need-to-know basis."

Booth looked back in the mirror and said, "That's why we didn't tell anyone. And now, it's just too dangerous. We can't have people knowing our weakest spot. In our jobs, people will use that against us. And we can't have that. When you love someone, you protect them at all costs."

Zack had sat through the whole explanation quietly and now he nodded his head slowly. "That is very wise of you. I understand now." Zack then added as an afterthought, "And don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

Booth cleared his throat again as he put his car into drive. He looked back in the mirror and nodded his thanks. "Now, what I need you to do Zack is get 'better'. Bones, she loves you. And when you get out, she'll do whatever she can to get you back. But first, you gotta get out of the loony bin. So whatever you have to do to get 'better' you do it."

Zack smiled slightly as he nodded his head as well as they finally pulled up in front of Sweets.

~BONES~

Booth walked into Brennan's office to see her throwing leafs of paper into the garbage can. "What are you doing?"

Brennan pursed her lips before she told him angrily, "Throwing out my book."

Booth looked at her in shock and asked, "It's still on your hard-drive, right?"

Brennan shook her head in aggravation, "Nope, not any more it's not."

Booth exclaimed, "You erased it?"

Brennan picked up another leaf of paper and threw it down. "Yeah."

Booth ran over to her and stopped the next leaf from its dissension. "Woah. Woah, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, stop."

Brennan tried to throw the papers in her hand away again, only to have her husband stop her. "But I don't want to be a writer anymore."

Booth watched as she gave up her efforts on the papers as she sat down irritated. "Oh, why? Because of what that publisher said? He was an idiot, did you see his glasses?"

Brennan huffed slightly and said, "But I don't wanna be a sexy scientist."

Booth smiled at her behavior and said, "Well that's like me saying I don't want to be a sexy FBI agent. We can't change who we are." He reached down to pull out the pages of her book from her garbage can and mumbled in pain, "Oh god, this is just. This it not good for the back." He looked up at her to still see her pouting. He then started to recite something, "Suspenseful, and chilling. Temperance Brennan leads the pack. Anthropology has never been more exciting."

Brennan looked at him in awe. "You memorized my reviews?"

Booth smiled at her as he nodded his head. "Angela can scan these and get them back on your computer."

Brennan still couldn't believe it. But she had never seen him actually read her books. "You know my reviews, Booth, but do you read my books?"

Booth smiled at her lovingly. "Every single word."

Brennan was speechless for a few seconds before she finally found her voice. "You never said anything."

Booth shrugged his shoulders as he told her, "Well I figure you know, I'm all over your real world, why would you want me in your fantasy world too?"

He offered her the manuscript. After a moment, she took it from him and smiled as she said, "I can appreciate that."

Booth smiled at her again as he said, "You see? How this works, huh? It's give and take. We're partners, huh?"

Brennan pointed out, "Except you won't let me fix your back."

Booth waved that off again, "Oh, come on, my back is fine, it's just…"

Brennan stood up and dangled her manuscript over the garbage can as she said, "Oh really?"

Booth started forward at that and said, "Ohnohah. Okay, how do I know you're not gonna like, paralyze me or make it worse?"

Brennan placed the pile of papers down as she said, "I also help you by explaining a lot of things to you."

Booth watched as she stood behind him. He spoke softly, "Yeah, well you know, I explain things to you just as much as you explain things to me."

Brennan winded her arms under Booth's shoulders and placed her hands on the back of his neck as she told him just as softly, "Well, my things are more important."

Booth murmured, "That's debatable." She then pulled back and he yelped, "Whoa. Ow!"

Brennan told him, "A necessary pain."

She began to rotate him as he said, "Yeah, necessary. Ah, the way you really help me is, is, you let me be a guy."

Brennan didn't understand that. "I help you be a guy?"

Booth flowed with her rotations as he continued to explain, "Yeah, you know, it's a guy's thing to fix things and make them right. When I fix things I feel like I am one with the universe." Brennan then pushed gently on his lower back and something popped. "Oh! Ah. Whoa! God! That's amazing. How'd you do that?"

Brennan smiled at him as she said, "See? We help each other. Quid pro quo."

Booth started to lean in as he whispered, "I know what that means, quid pro quo."

Brennan laughed slightly as she murmured, "I'm sure you do."

Booth kissed her softly on the lips in thanks before he leaned back and said, "I know a lot of things."

Brennan laughed at that, "Well, you didn't know what misophobia meant."

Booth shot back playfully, "Well you didn't know that you could just take coffee grounds because it's garbage; you don't need a warrant for that."

Brennan went to grab her coat as she defended herself, "I sort of knew that, I just was making sure that that was true."

Booth smiled at her as he helped her into her coat. "Sure." He then took her hand and said, "Come on Bones. We're missing a great game on our date night."

* * *

 **A/N2: Was anyone expecting that? I know I wasn't! I was writing and then I was like…Zack should know, considering this will be his last appearance! I just couldn't help myself. I hope I wasn't too OOC for them. If so…oh well. Writers prerogative. =P**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – The Crank in the Shaft**

Booth and Brennan were sitting on the couch across from Sweets in his office. Booth's leg was bouncing up and down repeatedly as Sweets continued with their session. "The conscious mind represents only one-sixth of our brain's activity. Now, I want you to both appreciate the power of the subconscious and our quests for its secrets as we…"

Brennan however hadn't been paying attention at all throughout the whole session due to Booth's leg bouncing up and down. Finally she snapped, "Stop!"

Sweets thought that she was talking to him. "Dr. Brennan, you can't dismiss over a hundred years of psychological research."

Brennan shook her head as she told him, "I'm not even actually listening." She slapped her hand down on Booth's knee to stop him from bouncing it. He then started to bounce the other and she put her hand on that one, too, as she told Booth, "Your leg has not stopped moving since we started this session." She looked at Sweets, "Something you should have noticed."

Sweets raised his hands in defense as he said, "I assumed he was anxious to leave, as he is every session."

Booth was looked at the two of them as he explained, "Yeah, well, that's not it. Okay, a guy at work, Special Agent Graham Kelton died last week."

Sweets leaned back and said sadly, "I'm so sorry."

Brennan was surprised to hear that. Booth hadn't told her at all about the agent's death. "That's awful, Booth." But she also had never heard of him either, so she asked tentatively, "Were you good friends?"

Booth shook his head as he looked at her and said, "No, he was a creep."

Sweets saw Brennan's look of confusion, feeling the same way. "Oh. So, then your agitation comes from…?"

Booth told the kid as if it were obvious, "Kelton had the best desk chair in the office building, alright? Lumbar support, cushioned arms, Macintosh oak finish."

Sweets still didn't get it. "And?"

Booth told him, "And I want it. I put a request in, but so have all the other agents. I mean, this is one sweet chair."

Brennan looked at him and was so close to laughter that she had a hard time keeping a straight face as she said, "You are anxious that you won't get a dead man's chair?"

Booth nodded, "Right. Mine, it won't even recline anymore. Get this: Charlie Baron, okay, he'd been putting a request in to Human Resources even when Kelton was on his deathbed. Alright, is that low or what?" Booth then just thought of something. He leaned over to his wife and whispered, "Hey, Bones, maybe you can write me a doctor's note saying that I need the chair."

Brennan wasn't sure what he was asking. "What?"

Booth explained, "Yeah, something along the lines, that I got, like, a bad back, and the extra lumbar support could enhance my job performance."

Brennan knew that Booth had a 'bad' back but she still couldn't do that. "I'm not a medical doctor."

Sweets saw Booth turned to look at him expectantly and smiled. "The answer's no. You're obviously trying to enhance your status with your coworkers by acquiring something that they all covet."

Brennan smiled at her husband as she let some of the humor come into her voice, "You want a throne.

Booth didn't agree with that at all. "Back support, okay? I'm just looking for a little back support."

Sweets leaned forward as he started to delve into what he thought the main issue was. "Perhaps you've been feeling inadequate at work lately. Compensating in this…"

However Booth's phone started to ring right at that moment and he answered, "Booth. Right, be right there." He hung up and told Brennan, "Well, got a case. See ya!"

Brennan stood up with him and said relieved, "Okay."

Sweets called out as they left, "Agent Booth, I really think that we're touching on something important…" However they were already out the door before he could finish his thought.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking toward the office building where the crime scene was as he told her, "If I could help you get a better chair, I would."

Brennan told him reasonably, "Thank you, but if I wanted a better office chair, I'd just buy one myself."

Booth shook his head, "No, no, that's not how it works, Bones. When you work for The Man he buys all the office furniture."

Brennan looked at him confused, "Which man?"

Booth said, "You're kidding me, right? There's no actual man." But he should be used to the fact that she was in fact being serious.

Brennan asked, "Then who buys the office furniture?"

Booth shook his head. Sometimes it was just better to leave things unsaid. "Never mind, Bones. Just never mind."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking down a hall in the office building talking about the case, "Patty Hoyle, she's one of the people who didn't check into the building."

Brennan handed him the victim's ID card. "Angela's sketch matches the picture on her ID card." She then asked, "Wait, so Cam is actually going to write you a letter so you can get the chair?"

Booth nodded, "That's right. She understands how the game is played."

Brennan tried to clarify, "She worked for the same man as you."

Booth agreed, "That's right."

Brennan then added, "The man who doesn't exist."

Booth clenched his jaw in frustration. His wife could be such a pain in the ass sometimes. But he just took a deep breath in and then refocused. "Wow. Can you imagine working in a place like this?"

Brennan took that a little too literally like always. "No. It's not sterile, and there's no room for diagnostic equipment or sufficient bone storage."

Booth explained to her slowly, "Bones, I meant the little cubicles. Look, they look like caged animals."

Brennan told him, "Throughout history, you can find examples of human beings adapting to virtually any environment. Like you and the chair."

Booth shook his head as he told her, "Me? Whoa, you're way off base." Their conversation was cut short though as they walked up to the receptionist.

~BONES~

Gary was showing Booth and Brennan Patty's desk and cubicle. "This is Patty's area, right over here. Patty decorated the place herself. Even painted the frogs."

Booth picked up a frog as he said a little creeped out, "Lot of frogs."

Gary shrugged his shoulders, "Well, she was just that kind of person."

Brennan knew that Booth wanted that chair but she also knew that his way wasn't the right one to get it. And she also just thought that it would be best to just buy a new one for him. However, it wasn't her call so she said, "One who was adjusted to an impersonal workplace." She then looked at Booth and said, "Nice chair."

Booth shot her a look before he told Gary, "We're going to have to look in her computer."

Gary nodded, "Whatever you need. It's all company property. I can get you the password."

Brennan continued to look around the cubicle as she asked, "So you saw her last Friday?"

Gary nodded again, "She was still here when I left, yeah. Working late as usual. She…she was the best office manager you can imagine."

Brennan tapped Booth on his shoulder from his seat in front of the computer as she pointed out, perhaps a little mis-worded, "See? Booth? Some people accept their position as a drone."

Booth smiled at Gary before he stood up and whispered to Brennan with irritation leaking into his voice, "Are you calling me a drone?"

Brennan knew her mistaken wording and tried to smooth things over in her own way. "It's not a pejorative statement, without the drones, the hive would die."

Booth clenched his jaw. He wanted to continue this conversation but this was not the place to do it. He sighed as he asked Gary, "Anyone else work here late?" Yep, they were so going to continue talking about that later.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking through the office building again as Booth told her, "Forensics analyzed Ted Russo's keys, all right. There's no evidence of red paint transfer from keying the car."

Brennan looked around at the cubicles before she said, "This is a very efficient work space, don't you think? It affords a minimum amount of human interaction so the workers can concentrate solely on productivity."

Booth snorted a little, "It's demoralizing." At Brennan's looked he snapped a little, "Don't look at me like that. I'm not some kind of a drone."

Brennan tried to explain to him from her perceptive, "You have superiors to whom you must report, protocols you must follow. All of your actions are documented and reviewed."

Booth shook his head as he told her, "Look, I do not work for some faceless bureaucracy, okay? I work for the United States Government, and so do you, which makes you a drone, too."

Brennan shook her own head as she explained, "No. No, I'm a completely independent contractor operating out of the Jeffersonian. In the hive, I would be the queen bee."

Booth clenched his jaw in frustration. The woman was just pushing his buttons on purpose. "Still in a hive."

Brennan said as she followed him into the copier room. "In which I am the queen."

Booth walked up to the tech and asked, "Okay, what do we got?"

Geier told his superior, "We found dried toner in a section of the floor and fabric threads that might match the victim's clothes."

Booth opened his mouth to speak, but Brennan beat him to it as she said, "Send them all to Dr. Hodgins at the Jeffersonian."

Booth honestly was ready to have a blow out argument with the woman. And he frankly didn't know where this frustration was coming from. He whispered to himself, "Says the queen bee."

Brennan thought that he was talking to her when he whispered something. "What?"

Booth looked at her innocently as he said, "Nothing."

Brennan narrowed her eyes at Booth before turning back to the tech and she told him, "Use the ALS in this area. Booth, the light."

Booth turned off the light as he said, "I'll tell you what, I'm going to be the king bee in my department."

Brennan told him, "There's no such thing as a king bee."

Booth said, "Sure there is. And he is going to have the finest chair in the hive." That's right, he was the king bee.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were back at the office building as she examined the elevator doors, "So, forensics didn't find any prints?"

Booth tried to pry the elevator doors open on his own and was unable to do so. He sighed as he told Brennan, "No. Cleaning crew came in over the weekend and wiped down all the elevator doors."

Brennan continued to look by the doors as she said, "Eh, no blood." She then noticed the pink pastry box on the floor next to Booth. "What's that?"

Booth wasn't looking at her when she asked, so he was confused, "What?"

Brennan pointed again to the box, "That."

Booth smiled as he said, "Those are my cupcakes. I got them for the HR officer at work. I heard she loves them."

Brennan looked at him and she said, "So, fraud and bribery?"

Booth shook his head as he said, "No. Twelve years of service and lumbar support, okay? It's all a matter of perception."

Brennan gave him a look as she said, "Okay."

Booth glared at her slightly because of her tone. "Don't say it like that. 'Okay' like I'm some kind of kid."

Brennan shrugged as she said again, "Okay."

Booth decided to let that go as he told her excitedly, "It's looking pretty good, too, Bones. I mean, Willie Ackerman, he got cut off the list 'cause he got his note from an acupuncturist, and that doesn't even count. Hah! Boob." Booth then saw the look she was giving him and decided that talking about the chair wasn't a good idea. "Watch out, I'm going to try this again." He tried to pry the doors open one more time, unsuccessfully. "Oh, man. Ah, forget it! There's no way that I could keep that open long enough to dump a body, and I'm in shape."

Brennan said jokingly, unknowing that Booth's irritation with her because of the things she'd been saying throughout the case was getting to him, "Must have been someone that was stronger than you."

Booth shot back, "You're kidding me? Have you seen the people in these offices? Compared to them, I am Hercules."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders, "Well, apparently not." She looked at him from head to toe and back up again before she said, "Maybe you do need that chair."

Booth gave her a deadpan look as he said after a beat, "Or maybe it was two people."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were eating at the Royal Diner. Brennan had just told him their findings and he asked in disbelief, "A staple?"

Brennan nodded her head as she ate her salad, "Mmhm."

Booth still couldn't believe it, "How do you kill somebody with a staple?"

Brennan explained, "It perforated the thinnest part of the calvarium, the squamous temporal bone, causing Miss Hoyle's preexisting aneurysm to rupture."

Booth still didn't get the logistics, "And how do you get somebody to stand still while you staple them?"

Brennan told him, "There's a small depression near the wound that suggests the stapler was thrown."

Booth concluded, "So whoever did this didn't mean to kill her."

Brennan shook her head, "No, I can't confirm that."

Booth dropped his spoon back into his soup as he finally snapped a little. "It's common sense, Bones. One doesn't usually use a stapler as a murder weapon, and they certainly couldn't have known that she had an aneurysm. Even we mindless drones know that. But as the queen bee, you have us drones do all that work for you, right! And while we're at it, we drones don't deserve some gratitude for all the hard work we put in, right? Only the queen bee can get what she wants, right?" Brennan was a little taken aback by his outburst as her eyes widened. Booth sighed heavily, before he apologized, "I'm sorry, that was out of line."

Brennan touched his hand gently as she said softly, "Booth…"

But he shook his head and said, "Let's just focus on the case right now."

Brennan could see now that what she had been saying the past few days had really started to get to Booth. And she knew how to fix it. She nodded her head slowly as she focused on what he said about the staple. "I'll concede on both of your points about the staple."

Booth sighed again as he tried to get control of his emotional outburst – over something that was really nothing – and said, "Tell you what, my boys are looking for the murder weapon. Maybe we can pull some prints."

Brennan thought about it for a second before she said, "So Patty has sex with someone who then hits her with a stapler. Odd work environment."

Hodgins came up and sat next to Brennan as he said, "Okay, you are not going to believe this."

Booth snorted a little as he slowly got over his outburst, "Yeah, try topping death by office supplies."

Hodgins said, "I was wracking my brian over the trace analysis from the sweater. Furfural, proteolytic enzyme, triarylmethane dye…"

Booth honestly hated when the squints did that. "Hodgins, Hodg-Hodgins. Eyes are glazing over."

Hodgins looked as Booth pulled away his fries from his grasp as he said, "It's a blue Hawaiian."

Brennan had no idea what that was, "What's a blue Hawaiian?"

Booth remembered back in the day when he had one of those puppies. "Well, it's a potent cocktail. Two of those puppies and you're asking yourself, 'Hey, why am I naked and who are all these people?'"

Brennan gave Booth a look as he realized that he had said the latter aloud as Hodgins went on, "Brilliant blue FCF from the blue curacao, furfural from the rum, proteolytic enzyme—pinapple, alcohol speaks for itself."

Brennan asked, "Is this the sort of beverage they would serve at the Paradise Isle?"

Booth nodded his head at the memory, "Yeah, it comes in one of those ceramic monkey heads." At Brennan's look he hurriedly said, "So the killer must have stepped in spilled drink."

Hodgins nodded his head, "Given the level of fructose and sugarcane, it would have adhered to his shoe. He stomps on the victim, and presto, her sweater lights up with more traces than a luau pig." He tried one more time to grab some fries, unsuccessfully yet again.

Brennan said excitedly, "Dave as at Paradise Isle, but his, his alibi checks out."

Booth then remembered something as he smiled, "Yeah, but Dave was there with Chip, who gave him a ride home, but we don't know what Chip did for the rest of the night. Good work, Hodgins."

Hodgins smiled at Booth, "Thanks."

Booth pushed his plate over to him as he said, "Now you can have a French fry."

Hodgins leaned over and said softly, "Hey, man, right? Hey, you know, uh… I think Angela and I are cool now. We talked, and I think…"

Brennan answered her ringing phone, as Booth brought his hand up and said, "You know what? Just keep it to yourself." He was there for Hodgins when he needed to talk before, but he honestly didn't need to hear this now. He just needed to figure what the hell was wrong with him for his little outburst.

~BONES~

Booth was shining the leather on his new chair as Brennan walked in. "I see you got your throne."

Booth looked up at her and smiled, "That's right. The chair."

Brennan nodded her head, "Looks nice. Another victory for the hive."

Booth smiled a little wider at her before he told her softly, "HR said you called."

Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, but I didn't lie to them. I wouldn't do that."

Booth watched her sit down. He felt like a piece of shit for the way he talked to her earlier and still she did this for him. "Well, you must have said something because she didn't even eat her cupcakes and the chair was here."

Brennan shook her head, "No, I just told them why I felt it was important for you to have it, that's all."

Booth smiled at her and tried to joke a little as he sat down, "And, uh, why is that? Because even a mindless drone deserves some perks?"

Brennan looked at him seriously before she said softly, "No, because of how important you are to them. I mentioned your dedication and courage and sensitivity."

Booth was surprised to hear her say that. "Sensitivity?"

Brennan nodded her head, "Yes, Booth. I mean, even today with that young woman who killed her boss, it's very impressive. Anyway, I said that a chair is a good way to show the other employees in the office how much those qualities are valued."

Booth smiled at her as he said, "Hmmm, well, it worked."

Booth walked over to his door, locked it, and closed the blinds as Brennan told him, "I'll never understand why you felt you had to lie to get the chair. I mean, you could have just told them about yourself on your own."

Booth offered her his hand. She took it tentatively as he walked her over to his 'throne'. He told her as he sat down and brought her into his lap, "Well, because that would have been bragging, even though it was true." He then leaned back in the chair a little. It emitted a popping sound as he said, "Oh, ow."

Brennan looked at him concerned as she held onto him a little tighter, "You okay?"

Booth wrapped one arm around her waist as he waved off her concern, "Yeah, no, it was just…I think some of the padding in the back here is worn out. When I lean back, it's… hits."

Brennan smoothed her hand down his jaw as she whispered, "So Agent Kelton overstated the attributes of the chair."

Booth shook his head. "No, no, this thing is great, you kidding me? It's a…even though it's an antique, doesn't tilt back…yet. And it smells like a three hundred pound dead guy."

Brennan smiled at him as she said, "So you like it."

Booth smiled at her as he said, "Are you're kidding me? Love it. I'm not giving this baby up for anything, huh?" He touched the lever that raises and lowers the chair causing it to drop to the floor suddenly. Brennan yelped slightly at the sudden movement and held on a little tighter as she felt his arm tighten around her as Booth said, "Uh-oh. You know, that little up and down thing is a little touchy."

Brennan laughed softly as she kissed him on the lips. She leaned her forehead against his as she said softly, "I never meant anything by calling you a drone Booth. You are an amazing man that deserves the best of the best."

Booth forgot all about the pain he was in from his position as he smiled at her, "I know Bones. And I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I don't know what got into me and I'm sorry."

Brennan nodded her head as she smoothed her hand down the side of his face again. They started to kiss each other softly, but it soon turned into something a lot more. Brennan leaned into him causing another popping sound to come from the chair. Booth gasped in pain as he said, "Ow." Brennan laughed softly before she disentangled herself from him, thinking that her husband could be very funny at times when it came to office furniture.

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys I need to tell you something. An anonymous reveiwer, reviewed me he/she asked can I make Brennan pregnant in the episode (I'm pretty sure everyone knows), but I can't do that these chapters are about each season and episode of Bones, but I can tell you one thing if Brennan becomes pregnant in season 4 I will have to change the whole plot-line of season 4 and 5. (If any one knows what I'm going to do it's {L _oveShipper}) Stay tuned_**

 ** _Reviews are my friends_**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – The He in the She**

Booth, Brennan, and Sweets were all sitting silently in their session. They were at a standstill right now. Sweets had just asked a question that neither wanted to answer considering that it would reveal just a tad bit too much about how close they really were. Booth was so relieved when his cell phone vibrated. "Oh! Look at that – thank God, somebody got murdered."

Brennan shot up from her seat. "Okay, let's go."

They both rushed out as Sweets called out, "You're supposed to turn your phones completely off during our sessions, you know? Not just vibrate. It's a matter of respect."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking towards the beach onto the crime scene. They had decided to take both their cars – since Brennan had met Booth at Sweets office – so Booth wouldn't have to make a detour for Brennan. Booth noticed that Cam wasn't alone as he called out, "Hi, guys."

Cam and Mr. Vincent Nigel-Murray – a new intern – walked up from the shoreline as Vincent called out, "Oh, hey. Dr. Brennan."

Brennan looked at her student confused and rather irritated, "Mr. Nigel-Murray, what are you doing here?"

Cam explained, "We decided to utilize some of your brighter grad students until we find a full-time forensic anthropologist, remember?"

Brennan pursed her lips – a sign that Booth new immediately as annoyance – before she looked at her student and asked with narrowed eyes, "Do you consider yourself one of my brighter grad students, Mr. Nigel-Murray?"

Vincent smiled at her as he said confidently, "Yes. And so do you, Dr. Brennan."

Booth snorted softly at hearing the kid's name. "I am not calling this kid Mr. Nigel…anything."

Vincent smiled at Booth as he said cheerfully, "Vincent. Or Vince. Or Vinnie, Vin, Vincenzo. Actually, uh, I had this girlfriend once who used to call me Vino Delectable because of how my, eh…" Booth and Brennan stared at him oddly as he finished, "You don't…need to know that. Uh, what do you need me to do first?"

Brennan told him pointedly, "I need you to go back to the lab."

Cam winced internally at her tone. Not a good start for this intern. "I thought perhaps you might want Vin-cent to shadow you, get a real sense of what you do."

Vincent could see that his mentor was not happy about his presence. So he decided to try and woo her with his facts. "Little known forensic fact: tongue prints are as distinctive as finger prints, so…I can be useful in the field."

Brennan looked at Cam as she said, "I need a forensic anthropologist in the lab so I can spend my time aiming Agent Booth in the right direction."

Booth looked at her after she said that. He really didn't like the way she phrased that. "'Aiming Agent Booth'? What, like a hose?"

Brennan scrunched her nose slightly at her mis-wording before she handed her keys off to Vincent, "Well, here. Take my car. I'll get a ride with Booth."

Brennan watched as her student walked off – a tad bit deflated now – before she turned to ask Booth, "How were these remains found?"

Booth still wasn't quite over her little statement as he said, "Well, let me aim you in this direction, okay, Bones?"

Cam honestly couldn't believe that those two could work together so well with all their bickering. It was like watching children with them. She wondered if they were ever just going to jump each other like bunnies and finally get it over with.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan had just left the crime scene. Cam had left just a little bit before them with the body – well half of the body – while Booth finished up the last bit of his instructions to the FBI techs. Brennan was already sitting inside the SUV as he slid into his seat and started the car. Brennan bit her bottom lip as she looked at Booth through the corner of her eyes, contemplating the very, very naughty thoughts that came flashing through her mind after Booth had repeated her prior words about aiming. Because he did have excellent aiming. Which just led to her current frustrated state.

As Booth pulled onto the main road Brennan finally made up her mind as to how she was going to let Booth know what she wanted. A very direct manner. Brennan silently slid off her seatbelt and scooted over closer to his seat. With lightning speed, she unzipped his trousers and gently, but firmly grabbed his manhood and started to slowly stroke him.

Booth's eyes widened as he felt what his wife was doing. He also started to accelerate as he shouted, "Bones!" Even though his brain was telling him that this was a very bad idea, his body was saying a whole different thing as he started to stir in her hand and he grew harder and larger. And then he saw her start to lean forward towards him and he nearly came in that moment. Just as he lips surrounded him, he swerved onto the shoulder and threw the car into park. He allowed her to suck and tease him for a few more seconds before he groaned loudly and stopped her actions.

Brennan was about to protest, but he silenced her by kissing her passionately as he dragged her into his lap. Brennan started to hurriedly discard her pants and underwear while Booth pushed down his trousers and boxers to mid-thigh. As Brennan straddled him again he slowly skimmed his finger against her core. "You're so wet, Bones."

Brennan hummed her approval and then groaned in frustration as his fingers left her core and brought them to wrap around hers waist. But then he tightened his grip and pulled her down as he surged up into her. She moaned loudly before she said, "God, you have perfect aim."

Booth started to chuckle deeply at that before he started a slow and steady rhythm. They continued to kiss and grope and stroke each other until it was too much for either to bear. Booth grazed his thumb against her clit gently with his nail, causing her to come. Booth enjoyed watching her release for a few seconds before he surged up two more times and then he came. Brennan rested her head on his shoulder as they regained their normal breathing pattern. She murmured something that Booth couldn't hear because it got muffled by his shirt. "What babe?"

Brennan lifted her head a little before she whispered, "Mmmm, I said you definitely don't need to be aimed in any direction here. That was amazing."

Booth smiled widely at her as he smoothed her hair back. He loved his wife and wouldn't change her for the world.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were in his SUV again as Booth talked on his cell phone. Brennan stilled couldn't believe the amount of money that was donated. "$5 million?"

Booth nodded at her as he finished his conversation, "Great, thank you." He hung up and then told Brennan, "$5 million is a ton of moolah, but Arthur Ford is not a good suspect."

Brennan looked at him confused, "Why? What with the ton of moolah they practically stole from his son?"

Booth told her, "That phone call I just had, Arthur Ford died of pancreatic cancer three years ago."

Brennan sighed heavily as she said, "Oh."

Booth knew what she was feeling. They were getting nowhere with this case. "Yeah, oh."

Brennan looked out her window before she looked back at Booth and asked, "Do you think she loved her husband?"

Booth looked at her confused. "Who?"

Brennan clarified, "Mrs. Stephenson."

Booth thought about it for a second or two before he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Oh, I don't know. She was plenty angry at him."

Brennan could understand that, a little. "For getting a sex-change operation?"

Booth shook his head as he told her, "No, no, no, before that. I mean, she only called him by his given name or referred to him as Ryan's father. Never, you know, 'my husband.'"

Brennan's brow furrowed as she said, "I call you Booth, and I love you just fine."

Booth smiled at her as he said, "Thank you, but no one knows we're married." Brennan conceded silently to that point as Booth went back to the case, "One angry father might be dead, but, uh, maybe there are more."

Brennan thought about all the facts of the case as she told him, "Patrick Stephenson wasn't murdered, Patricia Ludmuller was."

Booth looked at her with a lifted brow as he asked, "You think the moment Patricia Ludmuller came to exist, Patrick Stephenson stopped?"

Brennan shot back, "When the butterfly emerges, does the caterpillar cease to exist?"

Booth laughed softly in amazement, "Okay, what are you, like some kind of kung fu master?" She could say the most poetic things sometimes. And then confuse the crap out of him other times. He shook his head as he said, "Why don't we just figure out who killed this guy...gal, person, okay?"

Brennan nodded her head as she looked forward again. After a few more seconds of silence she asked, "Would you like me just as much if I were a man?"

Booth joked, "Oh, yeah, much better. I wouldn't have to be so polite and accommodating. How about you? Would you like me better if I was a woman?"

Brennan answered honestly, "No, I would not."

Booth was surprised by that answer. "Why?"

Brennan shrugged her shoulders before she mumbled, "I'd be jealous that you might be prettier than I am."

Booth smiled and nodded as he said, "I would be, too. I'd be hot. Smokin' hot."

~BONES~

They couple had just gotten back from the sermon they attended. Brennan placed her messenger bag next on the floor as Booth put away his gun in the safe. Brennan was looking through their mail when she felt warm, strong arms wrap around her waist from behind her. She leaned against her husband's strong chest and sighed happily. He nuzzled his nose into her hair and whispered, "You know, I like you just the way you are Bones."

Brennan hummed her agreement and thought the same thing about him. With love, you take in all of the person. You don't just accept one portion and discard the other parts. And that's how they loved each other.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for the Review paladin117 and when that part comes I will continue on with the story until the end.**

 **You see the button the says "Review" click it and send me your comments because I read them all**


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – The Skull in the Sculpture**

Booth and Brennan were walking around the corner heading toward a building as he told her, "Invoice was made out to B & B Enterprises. This was the sixth car that was crushed and sent back to this address."

Brennan's eyes widened a bit. "Oh, so you think there might be five more bodies?"

Booth nodded a little as he told her, "Well, you know what? If this is mob-related, and we bring down the big boys..."

Brennan could see the excitement in his eyes. "Yeah."

Booth finished excitedly with a smile, "...we will sell the movie rights for a fortune."

Booth sighed internally as his wife burst his little bubble, "But what if it's not the mob?"

Booth shot her a look as he told her, "Come on. Do the math, Bones."

Brennan took that a little too literal again, "Well, the math wouldn't indicate motive or identify a suspect. And you haven't even provided enough variables..."

Booth gave her another pointed look, "It's a figure of speech, Bones, all right?" They both stopped in front of the building entrance as Booth said, "Here we are." He saw Brennan started to walk toward the door ad held her back by grabbing her arm. "Woah, woah, woah, woah. What goes first?"

Brennan looked at him with a slight pout before she conceded, "Gun goes first."

Booth nodded his head. "That's right." Booth shook his head as they started walking up the stairs thinking that the woman was definitely going to cause him a heart attack one of these days.

Brennan followed right behind him as they walked toward the door. She tapped his shoulder gently before she whispered, "But if you get shot…"

Booth glared at her as he said, "Don't say things like that. You're gonna jinx me, all right?"

Brennan said a little too eagerly for Booth's liking, "Well, if you're relying on superstition for safety, perhaps I should carry the gun." She didn't understand why he was always so protective of her.

Booth stopped in front of the set of glass doors as he mumbled, "No, you are definitely not carrying a gun." He holstered his gun again before he withdrew his lock picking set. Brennan leaned forward a little to see what he was and Booth told her, "Give me some space, all right babe?"

Brennan watched as he leaned down and started to pick the lock. She whispered again, "Is that legal?"

Booth sighed slightly as he concentrated on the lock. "Look, if anybody asks, the door was open."

Brennan looked at him confused, "No, it isn't." But Booth then looked at her and she realized what he meant. Smart. "Ah... Right." After a few more seconds Booth was able to open the door and he immediately pulled out his gun and walked in slowly.

They both stopped just a few feet into the building as the saw other crushed cars are in the room. In that moment a woman came from a room around the corner and Booth looked at her oddly, "Okay, what the hell are you supposed to be?"

Brennan had been looking at the ground when she noticed something. She tapped her husband's arm. "Booth?"

Booth whispered at her, "What?"

Brennan pointed to the ground as she said, "Look at this."

Booth squinted in the dark, trying to make out what it was. "What is it?"

The woman placed her hands on her hips as she said evenly, "Blood."

~BONES~

The FBI forensics team was working throughout the room as Brennan was looking at a video while Booth looked at a sculpture nearby. Brennan still couldn't believe that this was an art gallery. "The artist did a series of six sculptures over the past two years."

Booth held up a pamphlet and read it as he said, "Sculptures? Whoa. These things are going for hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Brennan began walking with Booth back to the 'crime scene' as she told him, "All cultures put a great value on art."

Booth snorted softly, "Yeah, art. A nice bowl of fruit, uh, dogs playing poker." He then told her quietly, "If I sold all the crap that was in our garage, I could retire. We'd make a fortune."

They both stopped in front of another 'sculpture' that Helen was standing next to. She informed the partners, "Geoffrey's work is a brilliant examination of consumerism and the destruction of the soul."

Brennan gave her an odd look as she said, "I see twisted metal."

Helen shot her an annoyed look. "Well, you need to look beneath the surface."

Booth snorted softly and joked, "Oh, we did, and we found a dead body, which is exactly why you're not going anywhere." They were interrupted though when an FBI tech, Marcus walked up to them. Booth just knew that this case was going to be weird.

~BONES~

Angela had called in Booth and Brennan after finishing up her simulation of the crushed car. She didn't even think of the fact that when she called Booth and Brennan were together – at night, eating dinner – and that when they came in they were in formal-casual clothing. They were both thankful for that because they had been out on their date night when she called. Which they were both bummed had ended earlier, but they also wanted to wrap up this case quickly. Angela started to tell them her findings, "Okay, take a look at this. Here we have our car, right? It had a low-carbon steel frame with a yield strength of 22,450 psi. So, since I know the hydraulic crusher imparts 163 tons of force, first horizontally, then in a 32-degree curling motion, I was able to verify the source of every single ripple on the surface of the crushed car, which then gave me the data to play the crushing backwards."

Booth looked at the simulation in amazement. "How did you do that?"

Angela shrugged her shoulders as if it was nothing. "Daisy provided me with the approximate tensile strength of each of Geoffrey's bones, plugged in the bone fragments' final positions, and based on those, correlated each injury as the body was moved through the car as it was crushed."

Booth cringed slightly as he watched the car and human inside being crushed. "God, I really hope that guy didn't know what was happening to him."

Angela nodded her agreement. "His bones sustained 88 fractures, all of which can be explained by the crushing in the car. "

Booth could go with that happily. "Suicide."

Angela nodded her head, happy herself. "Most likely, yeah."

Right then, though, a buzzing sound was made. Booth looked at Angela and asked, "What's that?" He really wanted get back to his date.

Angela looked down at her keypad as she said, "Um... this run included the last of the data. Oh, no."

Booth didn't like the sound of that. "What?"

Brennan sighed unhappily as well. She too wanted to get back her date with her husband. She pointed out, "There's an 89th fracture. The fracture there on his occipital... it was not caused by the car being crushed."

Booth winced internally knowing that they weren't going to be able to finish their weekly date night. "What caused it?"

Brennan looked at him as she said, "I need to examine the skull."

Angela looked at Brennan disappointedly, "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I wanted to prove it wasn't murder."

Brennan knew that, but that didn't change anything. "But it is. The 89th fracture proves that Geoffrey Thorn was murdered."

~BONES~

Brennan had been examining the floors when she and Marcus found something. She called out, "Booth."

Booth turned around to look at Brennan. "Yeah?"

Brennan told him, "Cam said there was human blood mixed in with the pig's."

Booth walked over to where Brennan was standing by another sculpture as Marcus told him, "I think we found it. There are definite blood stains here, but they're underneath a layer of what we think is turpentine."

Brennan pursed her lips as she thought about something. She then asked Booth, "Could I borrow your lighter?" She knew he always carried one.

Booth looked at her confused, "Why do you want my lighter?"

Brennan knew that he wasn't going to understand her explanation as to why she needed it so she just brought out her hand and said, "Just..."

Booth sighed as he grabbed his lighter and handed it to her. "Sure, here." He then turned to Marcus and asked, "Okay, so what do we know about that?"

Marcus told him, "Not much. I doubt we'll be able to identify the bleeder."

Brennan had knelt down behind Booth to examine where the turpentine was. When she turned on the lighter though she looked up to warn Booth to get out of the way, but then she saw his ass and got a little distracted. Her hand naturally started to go down to the floor and she started the fire with any warning.

Both Booth and Marcus yelled, "Whoa!" And Booth jumped to get out of the way of the flames as he turned on Brennan as said, "Sheesh! Hey Bones, you know, you almost lit my butt on fire"

Brennan stood up as she bit her lower lip, trying to get the image of her husband's ass out of her mind's eye. She cleared her throat as she pointed out, "Well notice that the flames leapt from the center room towards the loading dock."

Booth looked at Brennan and saw a slight flush had crept onto her face. He knew that look and smiled slightly, before her words registered and he looked at the path of the fire. "Wait. So, you're saying that Thorne was killed here and then dragged there."

Marcus called out to another tech, "Can we get the UV lights over here, please?"

Brennan grabbed the light offered to her and started to look at the staining. "Not dragged, Booth. Rolled."

Booth was still really impressed with what she had done, even though those flames had come a little too close to his nether regions for his taste. "I got to tell you, that was a great trick there, Bones."

Marcus agreed, "Yeah, remove the turpentine, reveal the blood soaked into the concrete."

Brennan nodded her head as she continued to examine the floor. "The blood stains show up approximately every 35 centimeters."

Booth pointed out, "That would explain why Hodgins found the cement particles on the front and the back of the clothing." Oh man, he was becoming a squint now too.

Marcus stilled didn't get it. "Yeah, but why rolled instead of dragged?"

Booth thought about it and then he got an idea. He started to mime rolling as he said, "Thorne was a big guy. Okay, whoever killed him could not pick him up and carry him to the loading dock and put him in the car. They had to roll him. You understand? Roll." He then pointed to Helen as called out, "Excuse me, tiny little woman." It was either her or Roxie. And Booth was really hoping it was Helen.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan walked over to where Cam and Hodgins were standing on the catwalk. He saw that they were looking down at something, so he asked, "What's going on?"

Hodgins explained a little too excitedly, "Sweets is firing Daisy for us."

Cam smirked at his excitement as she said, "We're wondering what his method will be."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders as they watched Sweets walk up the platform toward Daisy. She and Booth leaned against the railing as she said, "He'll explain to her logically that this environment is not conducive for either her or us and, as a scientist, she'll realize that he's right."

Booth knew that that's how his wife would do it. But Sweets… "No, Sweets is a lot sneakier than that. He'll use some kind of psychological Jedi mind trick to make her think it was her idea to quit."

They watched as Sweets started to talk to Daisy. After a few minutes they saw Sweets look up at the balcony and then he kissed Daisy. They started make out for a moment as everyone's jaw dropped. Hodgins said in disbelief, "I'm totally shocked."

Brennan nodded her head, but she was shocked for a different reason. "Yeah. They should not be doing that on the forensic platform."

Cam smiled and laughed as she said, "That's a method of termination I've never tried. But bravo, Dr. Sweets."

Cam and Hodgins walked away as Booth leaned closer to Brennan and whispered, "They'll never work. They're like complete opposites."

Brennan nodded her head, "I agree. For all her faults, she's a woman of science, Sweets bases his life on the vagaries of psychology and emotion. You know, there's no common ground."

Booth said with a smile, "Right."

Brennan smiled back at him as she said, "You need common ground. What else is there?"

Booth thought back to when they had first started dating and how they had thought that they were complete opposites. But then they got to know each other, really know each other, and they found that they were very much alike. Booth leaned a little bit closer to Brennan as he whispered, "Absolutely." And as Daisy and Sweets walked off the platform together, Booth leaned in fully and kissed his soul mate, his other half. The one person that knew exactly what he felt and went through. The moment they met each other, they had started to become one. And now, they were.

Figuratively speaking, of course.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – The Conman in the Meth Lab**

Sweets was sitting in his usual chair while Brennan sat across from him in her usually seat, waiting for Booth to arrive. Brennan had once again opted to drive herself to their session since she knew that Booth was working on his big RICO case. Booth walked in then and said, "Hey, sorry I'm late."

Booth sat down next to Brennan as she told him, "Well according to Sweets chronic lateness is a way of asserting control."

Sweets smiled at Brennan, thinking that she was finally coming around to his way of thinking. "That's right."

Booth gave her an amused look as he asked, "So you believe that?"

Brennan shook her head as if that were the most absurd idea ever. "No, I figured there was traffic or something kept you at work."

Booth smiled excitedly at her as he tapped her leg. "Exactly, work. Work Bones okay. I was putting the final touches on a case that's about to propel me into FBI legendary status."

Brennan knew it. "Ah the big RICO case…" She then saw Booth's glare and his sideways glance at Sweets. She winced slightly at her slip. "…that I'm not supposed to know anything about."

Sweets sat up a little straighter and whined a little. "Why don't I know about this case?"

Booth whispered to Brennan, "Bones, its top secret."

Sweets pointed out, "But you told Dr Brennan."

Booth pursed his lips before he said, "She's my…partner okay." And he wasn't going to say anything more that. He then turned to Brennan and told her excitedly, "Indictments any minute followed by a pay raise, possible parade and most definitely my face on a coin."

Sweets smiled, happy that Booth was finally getting something he deserved. "Just in time for your birthday."

Booth nodded happily. He was really excited about that. They had decided to take a vacation for his birthday and he was going to be the one to pick it and – even though Brennan didn't understand it – he wanted to pay for it as well. It was going to be his gift to himself in a sense. But he hadn't had the time to tell her where he had decided to go. And this was as good a time as any. "Which I will be spending in, Ha-wai-i. Uh look at that, ha, shark adventures." He handed Sweets and Brennan brochures, more for Brennan so she could see what he had planned for them and to prepare accordingly.

Brennan had never been on a shark adventure before. "Sharks?"

Booth's cell phone started to ring and he went to answer it, much to Sweets chagrin. "Oh, I really wish that you wouldn't…"

Booth answered it anyways, "Booth."

Sweets finished lamely, "… answer your phone."

Booth was very surprised to hear who it was on the other line. "Jared." Booth stood up and saw that Sweets still had a brochure in his hands. "Oh god, give me that."

As Booth turned around from the two to pay attention to what his brother was saying, Brennan explained to Sweets, "That's his brother."

Sweets didn't expect that. And why did Brennan know that? "Booth has a brother."

Booth nodded his head as he finished his call, "Sounds good. I'll see you then."

As Booth sat down again, Brennan told Sweets as she continued to look through the brochure, "Don't feel bad, I've never met him either." Which was the truth. Jared had been – how did Booth put it – out of the states when they had started to date and when they had gotten married he was still not able to be contacted about his big brother's wedding. This was the first time that they were both going to see Jared in a long time. They also needed to tell Jared their secret.

~BONES~

Brennan was multitasking as she examined the remains. She was still thinking about the best way to tell Jared about her and Booth's relationship. They had decided that Booth would tell Jared that he had someone very special he wanted to meet, but that when they were alone together they would tell Jared together. So when she heard someone unfamiliar to her call out Cam's name she was a little surprised to see her brother-in-law for the first time. Brennan turned around as Booth and Jared walked up the steps and Cam called out, "Jarhead, it's really you."

Jared joked as he said, "Jarheads are marines. I'm a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, not an acceptable mistake."

Cam smiled at Booth as she said, "He's getting so big. Soon he'll be wanting a later curfew and a car of his own."

Booth smiled at Cam before he looked at Brennan and said in a tone he hoped told Jared this was the special person he wanted him to meet. "Jared, this here is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan, that back there is a squint. Bones, this is my little brother."

As Brennan removed her gloves and approached Jared, Jared turned to look at his brother hearing the nickname – and knowing that his brother only gave out nicknames to people he cared about – wondering if this was the special someone. "Bones?"

Booth shook his head as he told him to call her, "Dr. Brennan." She only liked it when he or Parks called her that. No one else.

Brennan shook Jared's hand as she examined his facial features and said, "Ah it is nice to meet you Jarhead. I can see the family resemblance. Your facial structure is even more symmetrical than Booth's."

Jared was very confused by all the signals he was getting. Because that sounded sorta like a line. "Is she coming on to me?"

Booth shook his head as he said, "No it's just the way she talks."

Jared nodded slowly, thinking that this woman was definitely not the special someone that his brother was with. They were nothing alike! "Right."

Cam smiled warmly at Jared as she said, "So, the Pentagon huh?"

Jared straightened his jacket a little as he said proudly, "You're looking at the new head of Strategic Plans and Policy."

Booth shook his head at Jared. He was always one to gloat. "Basically he runs the place. So, uh, Cam, Jared has a favor he'd like to ask."

Jared shot his brother a look as he said, "I can ask my own favors Seeley."

Booth raised his hands in the air and said as Brennan moved away, "Okay, go ahead."

Jared started to explain why he needed Cam. "There's a cocktail party tonight. I'm in need of a beautiful woman on my arm, preferably a very smart one."

Brennan looked up from the remains and said, "I'm quite intelligent." She wanted to get to know Jared and that sounded like the perfect opportunity.

Booth however didn't like that idea. He knew his little brother and that was definitely not a good idea. "No." He winced internally at his tone and covered up, "Not that you're not intelligent, I mean you are intelligent."

Cam smirked slightly at Booth's reaction – misunderstanding it for something else – and tried to help the guy out. "I would be delighted."

~BONES~

Booth was driving as Brennan sat in the passenger seat. His cell phone rang and he answered it while putting it on speaker, "Booth"

Jared asked, "Did you catch the murderer?"

Brennan told him, "We subpoenaed a possible murder weapon."

Cam said, "Not a bad day's work."

Jared then told them why he called, "More important than catching a murderer, I'm dateless tonight."

Booth brows furrowed as he asked, "What happened to Cam?"

Cam joked slightly, "Oddly I think it's more important to catch this murderer. I'm working."

Jared asked, "So who else you got for me Seeley?"

Booth honestly didn't need to be dealing with this right then. "What am I, your pimp?"

Jared told him, "Don't think I'm not appreciative."

Brennan added happily, "Clark has everything under control so I could go."

Booth looked at her surprised that she'd offer. "What?"

Jared said hopefully, "Really?" Booth was still trying to think of something to say to stop this from happening as he made a sound as Jared said, "Thank you."

Booth decided to go with a one worded answer. "No."

Jared thought that his brother was trying to save him as he said, "Wha… w, wait this is Bones, right? Not some ugly FBI woman with a moustache."

Brennan frowned a little as she told him, "I don't have a moustache Jared."

Jared then didn't understand why Booth said no. "Seeley would you mind?"

Booth clenched his jaw, wishing Cam wasn't listening in to the conversation. "Mmm No, why would I mind. 'S alright."

Jared said happily, "Which means this is a great time to hang up."

Booth agreed and hung up the phone and then he shot Brennan a look. She saw his look of irritation and asked, "What? I want to get to know your brother."

Sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's just he still doesn't know about us."

Brennan shrugged as she said, "I can tell him tonight."

Booth looked at her skeptically before he said, "Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, I think it should come when we're both together."

Brennan looked at him again and thought about it before she said, "If the opportunity arises where I could tell I will. But if he doesn't ask about our relationship, then I will wait. How about that?"

Booth nodded slowly in agreement, hoping that his brother had changed a little since the last time he saw him. Because if he hadn't then he knew that his wife was going to have to go at it alone.

~BONES~

Brennan had been sitting observing everything around her when Jared came up to her and offered her some champagne and said, "Don't tell me you're sorry you came?"

Brennan shook her head and smiled, "No, not at all. It is not often I get to observe people this powerful in a relaxed situation."

Jared joked, "Don't be fooled, it's a school of piranhas in here."

Brennan laughed softly before she said to him, "You're good at this. They listen to you when you speak."

Jared started to lean in and whisper, "You wanna know the secret? You have an incredibly beautiful, incredibly intelligent scientist slash novelist sitting alone waiting for you to bring her a drink." Brennan laughed at then and he shook his head and said, "Nah, it's too corny."

Brennan nodded her head, "Definitely." After a beat of silence passed Brennan couldn't help but say what she was thinking. "I was thinking how Booth would be bored at a function like this."

Jared loved his brother and he thought that he knew him as he said, "This kind of event would make Seeley very nervous. I don't mean he's incapable, my brother's very very capable. It's just, it's like Seeley's afraid of success. He stays in his comfort zone. Drove our dad nuts."

Brennan hadn't noticed that in their time together. "Really?"

Jared shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Maybe that's what made him a good sniper. He doesn't like to be visible above the ridge line so he keeps his head low – instinct. Me on the other hand, well I cannot help but run that ridge."

Brennan still didn't agree with that. She needed proof. "Can you give me an example?"

Jared said, "I bet you Seeley never took this risk." He then leaned in to try and kiss her.

Brennan however turned her head so he could kiss her cheek instead. She knew then that she needed to tell Jared about their marriage. "Jared." He sat back giving her an odd look at her rejection. She hurriedly tried to explain, "I'm with your brother."

Jared looked at her a little shocked, "Oh, really? I didn't think you were his type."

Brennan ignored that last comment as she went on, "The thing is, Jared, we're married." She saw that Jared was about to say something as his eyebrows rose in surprise. "You were overseas when we got together and Booth couldn't contact you when we got married about five years ago. We didn't want to tell you over the phone anyways. Booth wanted to tell you in person. But with the danger in our work field we keep our marriage on a need to know basis. So not everyone that we work with knows about us."

Jared was very, very shocked. His brother had finally settled down. "Wow. I guess congratulations are in order."

Brennan smiled, happy to see that she explained it to him well. "Thank you."

Jared raised his glass in a toast, now seeing that he was getting to know his sister-in-law. "To a good night."

Brennan smiled at him as she said, "Yes, so far."

~BONES~

Booth was at his desk wondering where Brennan was. She hadn't come in last night and left him a text saying that she wasn't heading in since it was almost four. She would be going straight to the lab to start on the case. She also told him that Jared now knew about them and that they were getting to know each other. She told him not worry and that she'd see him at work. He knew that she was telling the truth but he also didn't like the fact that she hadn't gotten any sleep last night. He just hoped that she slept a little on her couch.

~BONES~

Brennan was with Clark in her office having just woken up from a very short nap (if you could call 15 minutes a nap) when Cam walked in and asked, "Did you just get in?"

Brennan looked at Cam confused. "I haven't really been to sleep."

Cam walked in completely into the office as she said, "Can I offer you a little insight into Booth's little brother.

Clark looked up at the ceiling as he said, "Oh god, why am I always standing precisely in the wrong place?"

Brennan told Cam honestly, "I didn't have sex with him Cam."

Angela walked in then and asked, "Didn't have sex with who?"

Cam told her, "Jared Booth."

Angela smirked as she said, "Good."

She handed a file to Clark, allowing him to leave as Brennan asked confused, "Why good?"

Cam tried to think of the best way to put it. "Because… because…"

Angela rolled her eyes at Cam's hesitation before she said, "Because he's Booth's little brother and it would just be a creepy way to have sex with a Booth without having sex with the real Booth."

Cam smiled at Angela as she said, "Kudos Angela. I would not have had the guts to say that aloud."

Brennan still didn't get it though. "N… Jared is a real Booth."

Angela shook her head as she said, "Hmmm. Jared's Booth lite. Booth is the real Booth."

Brennan still didn't understand her though as she said, "W… what if Booth is Booth lite?" But Angela was never able to answer her because Clark walked in with some interesting evidence.

~BONES~

Brennan was on the phone with Booth as she told him about their findings. She then said, "Jared is very nice. We talked for a while last night and he understands why no one really knows about us."

Booth sighed as he walked toward his SUV to pick her up. "That's great Bones. But did you sleep at all last night or today? Cam said that she didn't see you this morning. Did you fall asleep in the Bone room again?"

Brennan smiled slightly at his concern. "No, I didn't fall asleep in the Bone room again. I took a short nap on my couch. I wanted to go over Clark's findings and since it would have been four by the time I got home, I decided to just go into the lab then and work. I'm fine Booth, don't worry."

Booth nodded as he said, "Okay. I'll be there to pick you up in about fifteen minutes." As he hung up, he shook his head, thinking that he couldn't help but worry about her. He would always worry.

~BONES~

Booth was in his office with his television on. Yesterday ended badly and today was just going to be a bad day. He just knew it as he watched Colonel Wolchuck give a press conference. "My name is Colonel Ryan Wolchuck of the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations. I have the great pleasure of announcing today that the Grand Jury has handed down 62 indictments following the State Police crackdown on organized crime. This victory is the result of a six month RICO investigation by our department. The State Police would like to acknowledge the very fine support work of several FBI field officers."

Booth turned off the television in aggravation and then took out his tickets from his jacket. "Yeah. Support." He ripped the tickets and threw them in the bin. He also took the Hawaii books from his desk and threw them in the bin too. It just wasn't his day. He sighed and sat down when his phone beep with a text. He couldn't even get a break.

~BONES~

Brennan had been watching Booth interrogate their suspect and turned around as he walked into the watching bay. "Do you think he did it?"

Booth shook his head, "No, we'll check his whereabouts but, you know, I don't think so. Nice hat huh? Come on I'll take you back to the lab."

Brennan stopped him though as she asked, "What happened with your RICO bust?" She had been watching the news, expecting to hear Booth's name be announced. Except it never happened. She wanted to know why and what Jared had told her about Booth was starting to show a little. But she needed to know.

Booth shot her a look. He really didn't want to talk about this. "Nothing, why? Huh, you been talking to Cam?"

Brennan needed to know the real reason though. "No. Did you do something wrong?"

Booth stopped at her words and asked tensely, "What do you mean?"

Brennan explained, "Well you didn't get the credit you deserve. What did you do?"

Booth seriously didn't want to talk about this. Not now, perhaps ever. "Life is not always about credit."

Brennan pointed out, "Well that's not what you said before. You said life was all about credit and we were going to Hawaii and they were going to put you on a coin."

Booth shook his head as he sighed. "Uh, you know what, let's just forget about it. Okay Bones, forget about it."

Booth turned around to leave, but Brennan still wasn't satisfied. She needed to know. "Jared warned me that you tend to sabotage yourself."

Booth turned around slowly as he said, "Jared said that?"

Brennan nodded her head as she went on, "Mm-hmm. He said that you were afraid of success."

Booth's jaw clenched as he felt his anger bubble up again. "Mmm, so basically I'm a loser."

Brennan took a step back as she saw his anger. "No, he never said the word loser."

Booth asked her angrily, "Do you think I'm a loser, like that guy in there. Some clown in some dumb-ass uniform who basically can't do any better? Is that what you think?"

Brennan didn't know how to answer that without making him angrier. She didn't think that he was a loser per se, but… "Well, anthropologically, males tend to rank themselves into a hierarchy. There's no shame in not being at the top of the hierarchy."

Booth almost shouted, "You're not answering the question Bones. Answer my question." However his cell phone rang. He shot Brennan a look as he answered, "Booth…Is it Stegman or Pongetti?...The son?...Thanks." He ended the phone call and told Brennan, "The fingerprints belong to Lily Stegman. We know that because she works with kids."

Brennan sighed nervously as she said, "She acted like she'd never seen that money before. "

Booth said tensely, still angry, "Well, she was lying."

Brennan watched as he turned around and she tried to tell him that he wasn't a looser, "Booth…"

Booth shot her another angry look as he said, "Bones, let's just go and do our work."

~BONES~

Brennan walked over to where Cam and Sweets were. She hadn't liked the idea of leaving Booth with that argument between them. She needed to clear the air – so to speak. "Hello."

Cam turned to her and said immediately, "Dr. Brennan. I don't want you to think this is an intervention."

Brennan looked at her confused. "I don't know what that means."

Sweets walked over to them with some coffee as he explained, "An intervention is when a group of loved ones bands together to help one of their own make a difficult decision."

Cam grimaced slightly as she said, "Oh, then, then it is an intervention."

Brennan was still confused, "Are you my loved ones?"

Sweets decided to just get right into it. "I was troubled by a conversation I had with Jared Booth."

Cam added, "Sweets came to me with some theories about Booth's family life, and he pretty much nailed it."

Brennan looked at them and asked, "Nailed what."

Sweets told her, "Sit down." They all sat down. "Booth and Jared are children of a physically abusive alcoholic father."

Cam said, "Booth's been digging Jared out of trouble since they were kids. Jared always comes up smelling like a rose and Booth takes the hit."

Sweets said, "He's denying his brother the opportunity to take responsibility and learn from his own mistakes."

Brennan of course knew all of the facts. Although what Sweets was saying didn't have any evidence. Which she pointed out, "You have no evidence of that."

Cam told her, "I've known the Booth boys for 15 years."

Sweets said, "Now it's natural to be protective of a younger sibling. Of course Jared is a grown man, an intelligent, talented, capable adult."

Brennan said honestly, "I like him very much."

Cam told her bluntly, "Yeah? Well, cut it out."

Brennan understood being protective of loved ones, but that didn't change how she felt about Booth. "Booth shouldn't be threatened by the fact that his brother is more successful."

Cam finally said, "I am absolutely certain that however it is Booth lost all the credit for that RICO bust, it's because of Jared."

Brennan hadn't thought about that. She didn't even know how to process that idea. Because if that were true than everything that Jared said about Booth was a lie and that meant that she could have just ruined her marriage permanently. "We're all scientists here, right? Well, not you. What is your evidence?"

Cam told her, "How about this, the last time I told Booth what I thought of Jared, he didn't speak to me for six months."

Brennan looked at her and said, "That is an anecdote."

Cam sighed as she told Brennan, "We're saying maybe Booth deserves the benefit of the doubt here, until all the evidence is in."

Brennan nodded her head, "Evidence, I am comfortable with evidence."

Cam could see that she was getting nowhere with this. "Okay, here's some evidence. The bullets that killed both Stegman and Pongetti were fired from the same gun."

Brennan could deal with that at the moment. "Which suggests they were killed by the same person. Thank you."

Cam asked, "Should I tell Booth?"

Brennan shook her head, "No, I'll do it." She stood up to leave, already knowing who she needed to talk to to find the evidence.

~BONES~

Brennan walked into The Founding Fathers and came up to Jared, who was sitting on a barstool drinking. "Thanks for coming Jared."

Jared threw her his charm smile, "When a beautiful woman asks me out for lunch…" Brennan's cell phone rang at that moment. She looked down and saw that it was from Booth. Jared asked, "Something wrong?"

Brennan ignored the call. She needed her evidence, "I need to know the truth."

Jared laughed a little. He and Booth had talked a little last night after he had been picked up. "I've heard that about you."

Brennan took in a deep breath and went forward with her line of questions, "Do you know anything about Booth losing credit on the RICO case."

Jared looked at her confused, "No. What? I mean that's the first I've heard of it."

Brennan nodded her head slowly, "People are telling me that somehow all the credit went to the State Police because of you. Is that possible?"

Jared looked forward and sighed. Now he understood. "Oh."

Brennan looked at him in shock. "So, it is possible."

Jared looked at Brennan, unsure what to reveal to her. "What did he say to you?"

Brennan hoped that Jared would give her some insight. "Nothing."

Jared nodded as he sipped his drink. "I think this is something between brothers. No offense."

Brennan nodded her head in anger. So this was how it was going to be. She started to walk away when Jared called out, "Tempe!"

Brennan turned back to him and almost yelled, "You took advantage of him. You know you made me think that my husband is a loser. And what really makes me angry is that I believed you for just a moment! You know I wouldn't blame Booth if he never spoke to me again. My marriage could be ruined! You're the loser." She then left Jared sitting at the bar. But she was still pissed so she came back and shoved Jared with all her energy, off the barstool. She felt considerably better after that and left with a slight smile on her face.

~BONES~

The sheriff said to Booth, "Now this is what's gonna happen. You're gonna get in your vehicle and drive away, and I'm gonna do the same thing, and everybody lives and everybody's happy."

Brennan thought that was a good idea. "Well, th… that sounds like a good idea."

Booth shook his head. "No, not a good idea, huh. You drive off with the evidence. Not gonna happen."

Paul Stegman opened the door and started towards Sheriff Wilkinson, who punched him in the face, causing him to fall down. Lily yelled, "Paul! Oh god!"

Sheriff Wilkinson began to descend the porch steps pulling Lily Stegman with him as he told Booth, "Agent Booth… you are… by far… the worst hostage negotiator, I have ever run into. Don't you know you're supposed to talk? Disorient, distract the perpetrator."

Brennan aimed her gun at the sheriff and wanted to get Booth's attention, "Booth."

Booth tried to concentrate on keeping everyone safe. He did not need Brennan talking right now. "Not now Bones."

Brennan however only wanted to help. "You want me to try and shoot him."

Booth couldn't believe what she just said. That woman had some way of thinking. "No."

Brennan wanted to do something though. "Why? I'm a good shot."

Booth lied through his teeth. He just wanted to keep everyone safe, especially Brennan. "You are not a good shot."

Brennan was hurt by that a little, but recovered with, "Wha…? You are." She lowered her gun and turned toward Booth. "You know, maybe if we switched weapons you could hit him right between the eyes."

Sheriff Wilkinson aimed his gun and shot at Brennan. Neither of them saw it coming, but Brennan fell to the ground clutching her injured arm. Sheriff Wilkinson dragged Lily Stegman into his car, leaving the driver's door open. Booth looked back slightly to Brennan's fallen form. "Bones! Bones are you okay?"

Sheriff Wilkinson started the car and began driving away. Booth looked back to Brennan as he started to chase the car, worried as to why she didn't answer him. "Bones?"

Brennan clutched her arm, finally coming out of her shock. "I'm okay Booth."

Sheriff Wilkinson pushed Lily from the moving vehicle. Booth chased the car shooting at it four times. The car crashed into a parked vehicle.

Booth approached Sheriff Wilkinson's car with his shotgun still raised. He saw that Sheriff Wilkinson was slumped over the steering wheel with bullet wounds in his back. Booth looked over at Brennan who was now standing and walking towards him. Booth watched as Paul and Lily walked into their house before he walked over to Brennan. "Are you okay?"

He started to look at her arm and clenched his teeth in anger. He should have seen it coming. "I'm sorry Bones. This shouldn't have happened."

Brennan shook her head as she said softly, "I'm fine Booth. Really. Everything's going to be okay." And she just hoped that were true as Booth called in for back up and an ambulance.

~BONES~

Jared stood by a pillar watching Brennan as she began a toast, as Booth sat at the corner of the bar. Brennan's right arm was in a sling from her gunshot wound, so she raised her glass with her left arm and said, "I would like to propose a toast, to my partner, Seeley Booth."

Everyone called out, "To Booth."

Brennan faced the group with her glass in hand. "I know who he is, but I forget sometimes, because… because, he never shines a light on himself. He shines it on other people."

Booth laughs a little at that. "Yeah, right after I conked them on the head with it."

Brennan smiled a little as she continued, "Anthropology teaches us that the alpha male is the man wearing the crown, displaying the most colorful plumage and the shiniest baubles, he stands out from the others. But I now think that anthropology may have it wrong." Booth looked at Brennan puzzled. He listened to her continue her toast, "In working with Booth," she turned to face him now, "I have come to realize that the quiet man, the invisible man, the man who is always there for friends and family, that's the real alpha male. And I promise that my eyes will never be caught by those… shiny baubles again. Happy birthday." She smiled softly at her husband, hoping he got her silent message.

Booth smiled at her and clinked their glasses together as everyone else said, "Happy birthday Booth."

Booth looked lovingly into her eyes as he said, "Thanks Bones. Thank you." Brennan still needed to tell him something though. She grabbed his arm and started to pull him away from everyone. Booth reached for his glass as he said, "Uh Bones, alright. What are we doing?"

Brennan tugged a little bit more. "C'mere."

Booth didn't like the feeling he was getting about this. "What."

Brennan led him to a quiet corner as she said, "Just c'mere for a second. What you're doing for your brother, isn't fair."

Booth shook his head. "Come on Bones, don't get me mad at you, after that great speech right. Not after I got you shot."

Brennan grabbed his arm and told him seriously, "You didn't get me shot, I got me shot."

Booth sat down and looked at the bar as he murmured, "I don't wanna talk about my brother."

Brennan knew he needed to hear this from the one person he would listen to. So she blackmailed him. "Would you prefer Sweets do it?"

They look along the bar to see Sweets. He raised his glass to them. Booth turned back to Brennan and told her tensely, "I'm listening."

Brennan nodded her head as she tried to remember everything that Sweets said, "Well I forgot all the psychological stuff but basically, when you… rescue somebody all the time. If you keep getting them out on bail…"

Booth smiled slightly as he corrected her, "Bail them out Bones, if you bail them out."

Brennan nodded her thanks as she went on, "You're thwarting their ability to help themselves." She saw that Booth was really clenching his jaw tightly, "Now you're angry." She had really thought that he would listen to her.

Booth sighed, "Come on Bones, you have to admit, getting a psychological lesson from you is like…"

Brennan smiled at him and joked to lighten the mood, "Getting and anthropology lesson from you."

Booth looked at her face and saw that she was really trying to help him. He then looked back at Jared and sighed. "The RICO case, I traded my one shot at glory to keep my brother from being arrested…. for drunk driving."

Brennan wished that she had done more than just pushed Jared now as she told her husband, "Booth! You know, what if he does it again? What if he kills someone next time? You shouldn't have done that."

Booth knew that, but Jared was his little brother. He had protected him all his life. So he said angrily, "Right. Says the woman who got her father off murder charges. Face it, we do things for family."

Brennan hadn't thought about it like that. "You're right, you're totally right."

Booth looked back at Jared and knew he wasn't. "No, I'm not"

Brennan was confused now. "What? Why?"

Booth stood up as he said, "There's no risk that your father will kill again." He then started to walk toward Jared. "Jared."

Jared followed Booth outside and said, "You uh, bringing me out here to give me advice on your wife, because I think that ship has sailed."

Booth didn't know what Jared was talking about, and he shook his head, "Well no. It's, uh what I gotta do. I, uh, I gotta stop. Do you understand?"

Jared looked at him confused, "Stop?"

Booth told him, "Yeah, and you should stop too."

Jared still had no clue what he was talking about, "I gotta stop what?"

Booth told him honestly, "The drinking: Stop it."

Jared snorted slightly as he said, "I'll take that under advisement."

Booth stopped Jared from going back into the bar. "I'm serious Jared. No more stepping in to make things go away."

Jared turned on him angrily, "I carry my own water, Seeley. Now you should go back inside and enjoy your birthday party."

Booth watched as Jared drained his glass and waved it in his face. "Right."

Jared smirked a little. "Cheers."

Booth watched him walk into the bar again and said angrily, "Yeah, happy birthday to me." He then punched the side of a nearby bus shelter. He sat down in the bus shelter.

Brennan walked up to him after a few seconds and said, "Okay? You gonna come back in for cake?"

Booth sighed as he leaned back. "Bones, I just need some time."

Brennan asked softly, "Do you need time and space?"

Booth smiled at her as he made room on the bench. "Just some time." Brennan sat down next to him and held up the plate holding a piece of cake. They booth took a forkful before Booth leaned forward and said softly, "I hate that my dad drank."

As he took the bite of cake, Brennan placed her fork down and placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed and whispered back, "I know."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys it's been 7 days since I've posted on here but it's also been a week and half since my phone has been payed so I have to rely on internet to get anything done.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – The Passenger in the Oven**

Booth was sitting in the middle of the plane between two elderly women, one sleeping with her head on his shoulder with the other one reading book. He hated when they had to fly for work, because that meant he had to be put in coach. And this was not good for his back, at all. He looked at the sleeping woman, then to his right at the woman that was reading. "Excuse me…"

The older woman held up her finger and told him, "Just a minute."

Booth sighed again, "Ma'am, this woman is asleep next to me and I really have to get out."

The older women laughed a little as she closed her book, "It's just that this book is so exciting. Do you like mysteries?"

Booth squirmed a little as he got ready to get up, because he wasn't going to be staying back there. To hell with it. He was going to go sit next to his wife in comfort. "Well, I-I'm an FBI agent, so mysteries are sort of my thing."

The older woman whispered, "I'm an aficionado myself. I'm here with Nadine. She's plotting the perfect murder. For years now. But just for fun."

Booth hurried the woman along, "Right, you can tell me all about it later; I've really got to get out. I gotta go."

The older woman nodded as she finally got his point. "Oh, right. When you gotta go, you gotta go."

Booth nodded his head as he started to ease Nadine's head off his shoulder. "Yeah." He got up and stepped over the woman's legs and whispered, "Sorry." Booth started to walk down to first class and passed a boy who was stealing small bottles of liquor from a serving cart. Booth pulled out his badge as he tapped the boy on the shoulder, "Hey. How old are you?"

The boy sighed as he said, "Come on, we're at thirty-six thousand feet, that's outside the three-mile limit."

Booth shook his head as he said sternly, "This is American soil until we touch down in Shanghai, alright? So come on, hand them over."

The boy gave the bottles to Booth as a man turned in his seat and looked back at them. "Eli, what are you doing now? You know your mother isn't feeling well." He then looked at Booth and asked, "Is he bothering you?"

Booth and Eli exchanged looks, before Booth turned back to the boy's father, "No. We were just talking. That's all."

Eli added, "Yeah, you can sleep, Dad. It's all good."

As the father turned around Booth started to walk backwards still looking at Eli and he motioned with his fingers that he was still watching him. Eli raised his hands in mock surrender before Booth turned around completely and started to walk towards Brennan's empty seat (which she bought anyways just in case Booth did decide to sit with her). Booth sat down with a sigh of happy contentment and started to open a plastic bag of complimentary items and removed a slipper. He looked at Brennan, smiled, and put the slipper over his hand before reaching across Brennan's reclined seat and moving his fingers like a puppet in her face and making a barking noise playfully.

Brennan felt the brush of his hand on her shoulder and as she started to remove her eye mask she said confused, "Huh? What? Booth…"

Booth pouted slightly, "Wow, look at this. I don't even get a hot meal, and you get pajamas and slippers?"

Brennan knew that Booth knew what they got for long flights, considering they had been on their share of them. "The basic amenities. The flight is over thirteen hours."

Booth snorted. "Yeah, I know, I spent the last eight of them back there in Gitmo." He made an excited noise as his chair started to recline. Heaven for his back. "Yes!"

Brennan took the slipper from Booth as she said, "You know you aren't allowed up here." She still needed to let the stewardess know of his change before he could sit with her.

Booth looked at her confused, "What? I thought you bought another ticket? And you know, we're, uh, we're a team, okay? This is government business." Booth then pushed a button and the chair started to massage his back. Definitely heaven. "Ooh, a massager!"

Booth started to make buzzing noises as a stewardess came up to him and whispered, "Sir, you need to return to coach."

Booth opened his eyes and looks at her. He continued to make some buzzing noises before he whispered to her, "See, we're partners, we like being together." He still didn't understand why they didn't know about his ticket and why Bones wasn't saying anything.

The stewardess raised her brow before she said, "Your sexual relationship's not relevant, sir. This is first class."

Brennan was about to explain everything to the stewardess, but she was sidetracked by that last statement. She tapped her husband on his arm as she asked, "Why does everyone think we have a sexual relationship when we barely even touch each other around them?"

Booth honestly didn't know, but he was going to take care of this. He stood up and pulled out his badge as he said, "Oh, I got it. All right, here we go. FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth, this here's my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan, and, uh, she is actually going to China—well, we're going to China, and she's going to help the Chinese government help identify some real old Chinese dude."

Brennan sat up fully at the mention of the find and said excitedly, "Bones were found in a wuhan cave, over forty thousand years old."

Booth nodded as he continued, "According to title eighteen, section eighteen thirty-one, I must protect the proprietary American technology Dr. Brennan will be using. So, it is my patriotic duty to be right next to her, here, like a bodyguard." He sat and reclined back in the chair with a flourish as he ended his speech.

Brennan said happily, "This trip is taking me back to my real passion. Prehistoric anthropological discoveries."

The stewardess really didn't care. "Fascinating. Sir…" Booth had looked at Brennan, confused by her statement about her real passion as the stewardess continued to say, "You have to go back to your seat."

Brennan was about to explain to the stewardess the misunderstanding but the look on her face made her stop. She would talk with someone else. She looked at Booth and shrugged her shoulders, "Sorry."

Booth, who was still dazed/confused about his wife's comment, turned off the massager and sat upright as the stewardess pointed toward coach. "Right now."

Booth stood up and started to walk back toward coach as he mumbled, "Right." He then stopped though and leaned over the seat and whispered, "Bones. Bones!" As she removed her mask to look at him he asked, "What do you mean, your 'real passion'? I thought us working together was your real passion."

The stewardess rolled her eyes as she said annoyed, "You two can take up this fight again after we land."

Booth shot the woman a look before he sighed. "All right."

The stewardess warned a little too late, "Watch your head."

Booth winced and grabbed the back of his skull as he said, "Ow…"

Brennan looked at him concernedly, "You okay?"

Booth nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine." He really wanted to finish their conversation, but with the stewardess from the Nazi's pointed him in the direction of coach again, he knew he would have to wait until later. He then remembered that he did have a ticket for first class he said glumly, "Kicking me back to the cattle class. You know, that's not right."

~BONES~

Booth watched as the stewardess walked down below stairs and rushed through the curtain toward Brennan, as he swiped another bottle from Eli as he passed by. He sat down next to Brennan and whispered, "Bones. Bones."

Brennan turned around, surprised to see Booth already. She knew that the stewardess couldn't have gotten the verification for Booth's first class ticket that fast. She had after all just given it to her. "Huh. You're going to get in trouble."

Booth waved that off as he said, "She's downstairs. You didn't answer me before. You tired of working with me?"

Brennan sat up and said soothingly, "No, it's not that. But the identification and analysis of ancient remains, that's why I became a forensic anthropologist."

Booth knew that but he had thought that things had been real good between them. But maybe he wasn't as good as reading her as he thought he was. "You're bored. Hm. Spark is gone."

Brennan tried to exclaim that she would always be a scientist first and a crime fighter second. "I'm a scientist first."

Booth laughed a little as he said, "Right. Yeah. Scientist first. I, I get it. I understand."

Brennan watched as he leaned back in the chair and took out one of the masks. She whispered a little excitedly, "Hey. If you get caught up here, does that make me an accessory?"

Booth smiled at her before he pulled his eye mask down and said, "An accessory to an upgrade." He started to massager again and hummed in appreciation. "Oh ho, yeah! That is heaven."

Brennan smiled at him happy to see that he wasn't worried anymore about what she said earlier, reclined her own chair and pulled down her eye mask. A scream was heard not a second later though, and both of them sat up quickly and removed their eye masks before standing. They knew that type of scream. Booth pointed forward as he said in FBI-mode, "Bones. Down there." They both ran downstairs and saw what the stewardess found. Booth couldn't believe it. Oh my God." Did murder follow them everywhere? He looked at Brennan and asked, "That's a, uh, it's a body, right?"

Brennan couldn't believe it either as she took off her eye mask and looked at the body. It was a body and it definitely look liked murder.

~BONES~

Brennan was wearing the reading glasses as she worked and as Booth walked into the room he started to call out her name, "Bones…" But then he saw the glasses she was wearing and couldn't help it as he said huskily, "All right, what I want you to do is take off your glasses, shake out your hair and say, 'Mr. Booth, do you know what the penalty is for an overdue book?'"

Brennan looked at him confused for a second but then noticed how his irises had darkened to a deep brown and how his voice went down an octave. She smiled internally as she completely forgot about the human remains surrounding them took off her gloves and slowly took off her glasses and tossed them to the side and she shook out her hair. She saw Booth's eyes widen and then turn an even darker shade of brown as she said, "Mr. Booth, do you know what the penalty is for an overdue book?"

Booth didn't even respond. He just wrapped his arms around her body and started to kiss her passionately. He pushed her up against one of the walls for support as he started to rock into her a little with his pelvis and already hard member. Brennan wrapped her legs around him and started to moving against him as well. She didn't know what did it, but she was highly aroused by the whole situation. She was already so close to coming that she nearly screamed in pleasure as Booth sucked on her pulse point. Brennan angled her pelvis a little bit more to get the most pleasure as she rocked back down. She wrapped her fingers in her husband's hair as they rocked together one last time before she came.

Booth hadn't expected for his remark to escalate this far, but as he heard his wife coming in his arms and as she bit into his clothed shoulder to muffle her cries of pleasure, his body instinctually bucked forward again and again. "Oh, god, Bones, baby. I'm gonna come. Oh, fuck."

Brennan was still in her post-orgasmic haze, but she knew what Booth was asking without him needing to. She unwrapped her legs as quickly as possible and slid down the length of his body as she hurriedly undid his pants and slipped his rigid member out of its confines. She watched as he gripped his hands onto the wall for support as she took him fully into her mouth and started to pump him. It didn't take very long before he was rocking into her again, this time in her mouth, and as she licked the underside of him and twirled her tongue around his tip, he came. Hard. After she swallowed everything, she tucked him back in and redid his pants before she slowly stood up. She had started to get aroused again by then, but she knew that they didn't have time. Brennan allowed, though, for Booth to kiss her one last time, before she pulled away and whispered a little breathlessly, still getting over her powerful orgasm, "This notch mark," she pointed toward the skull, "here on the occipital, is what knocked her unconscious. The hairline fractures weakened the integrity of the cranium and caused it to burst when heated."

Booth nuzzled his nose into her loose hair as he whispered, "So she was hit. With what?"

Brennan shivered slightly as Booth started to kiss her neck. "Well, I'll have to take an impression to find out."

Booth hummed in appreciation. "How?"

Brennan tried to think of everything she needed. "Well, I need denture cream." Kiss. "And, uh, baby powder."

Booth murmured, "Baby powder."

Brennan gasped slightly as he nipped her sensitive spot on her neck. "And a-a butane lighter, please?"

Booth looked at her through a little clearer eyes as he whispered, still with a husky undertone, "Is that it?"

Brennan nodded her head slowly as she tried to concentrate fully on the case. "Uh, I think so. Yes." Brennan watched Booth walk away, before she brushed her fingers through her hair and tried to clear her head. She found the glasses again, slipped them on before she put her hair back into a messy bun. She couldn't get distracted like that again, or they would never figure out what happened to the poor woman.

~BONES~

Brennan told Booth, "Okay, Booth, we need the blue lamp out of the overhead projector."

He started to remove the light from overhead while Brennan went up to Nick and asked him, "Do you, by any chance, have any yellow-tinted shooting glasses?"

Nick nodded his head as he reached under his seat. "Sure, what do you need? Daylight, artificial light, or, uh, moonlight?."

Brennan started to look through his options, "Let's see. These will do. Thanks!"

Charlotte said excitedly, "This is brilliant. They're making an ALS emitter."

Nick turned around and asked, "What's that for?"

Nadine called out, "To find blood!"

Booth nodded at his wife as she walked over to her and asked, "Ready?"

Brennan nodded her head, "Got 'em."

Booth told Kate, "Hit the lights. Oh." Both of them walked into first class and Booth started to shine the light on the passengers feet while Brennan looked for blood. "Easy, Bones. You see anything?"

Brennan shook her head as she continued to look, "No…no…nothing."

Booth shined the light on Bilbrey's feet and asked hopefully, "How 'bout over here? Right there."

Brennan shook her head in confusion, "Mm-mm, nothing."

Booth groaned. How could it not be him? "Oh, geez."

They started to move away from Eli's father, when Brennan noticed the area surrounding Eli's feet. "Booth?"

Booth knew that tone. He asked hopefully, "Yeah?"

Brennan pointed at Eli's feet, "Over there."

Booth asked, "You got something?"

Brennan nodded her head as she saw the flecks of blood on Eli's slippers. "Yes, there."

Booth couldn't believe it, at first. "You're sure?"

Brennan looked at Booth and nodded seriously, "Yes, Booth."

He yanked the blanket off of Eli while he said to Kate, "Turn the lights on."

Bilbrey stood up and asked angrily, "What is going on, please?"

Brennan told him, "Your son killed Elizabeth Jones."

Booth asked Kate, "Okay, how long 'til we land?"

Kate looked out the window before she said, "Uh, we're on our final descent."

Bilbrey shook his head. "Eli, that's impossible."

Booth shot him a glare as he dialed on his phone, "Oh, why, you can't think of a motive like maybe, he loves his mother? Huh? He wants to keep his family together? You probably just think he's some dumb-ass kid."

Caroline came on the phone then and said, "I beg your pardon?"

Booth started to talk really fast, "Hey, I'm, lis-listen, Caroline, I'm ready to make an arrest."

Caroline had done a lot of favors for this man. After all he was like a son to her, but this time she couldn't. "You're more than sure, right, cherie? You're damn sure?"

Booth shrugged a little as he said, "Well, it's circumstantial but it's, uh, compelling. So do you have a warrant to sign?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes. That wasn't enough for her, "Yes."

Booth told her, "Well sign it so I can make the arrest."

Bilbrey exploded, "Just a minute, please. "

Caroline rolled her eyes, "That's the lawyer, right? You can always tell a damn lawyer."

Bilbrey said indignantly, "I represent my son, who is also minor incidentally."

Caroline definitely wasn't expecting that. She wasn't a miracle worker after all. "Minor?"

Caroline could hear as Brennan shouted in outrage, "A minor murderer!"

She then heard Kate over the intercom say, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are making our final descent into Shanghai International Airport. Please return your seats to their upright position and turn off all electronic devices."

Cam finally spoke, "Booth, you're cutting it pretty close, there."

Booth sighed as he tried to think of something that would make Caroline sigh the damn warrant, "Yeah, I know."

Eli finally asked drunkenly, "What's going on?"

Brennan told him, "We know you killed Elizabeth Jones."

Booth kept racking his brain as he said, "Probably why you wanted to get so drunk, huh, Eli?"

Bilbrey warned his son, "Don't say a word, Eli, not a word." He then said to Booth, "You're making this arrest on the strength of blood stains that could belong to anyone in first class."

Caroline needed something more than though, "Booth."

Booth decided to just state all the facts, "Okay, motive. The father was cheating on the dying wife with the victim." He then looked at the father and said, "You thought the family was safe by getting away from the woman…"

Brennan looked out the window then and said warningly, "Booth, we're really close to the ground."

Booth kept going, "She shows up on the plane, in first class."

Bilbrey warned his son, "Not a word, Eli."

Brennan again looked out the window and said, "Booth, I can see people. We have less than thirty seconds."

But Caroline needed more than that. "Booth!"

Booth looked at Brennan, clearly concerned to her that they might not get this one. He went all in with his plea, "Caroline, you gotta trust me on this."

However, Caroline toughened herself against him – although she was cracking a little – as she said, "Make the case, Agent Booth. Something more than motive."

Brennan could see that Booth was grasping at air and she knew that if this kid got away it would eat at him. So she tried to help. She grabbed hold of Eli's game and started to look through it hoping to find what she thought could be evidence. Booth looked at her then and knew she had something, "Bones…"

Brennan looked up at him with a brightness to her eyes, "Booth?"

Booth said hopefully, "Yeah."

Brennan told him, "If this missing video game turns out to be the computer chip imbedded in the victim's sternum…"

Booth grabbed the game and looked inside before he asked Eli, "Where'd you lose the cartridge, Eli?" At his silence, Booth knew that he had him. He told Caroline, "We got forensic corroboration."

Bilbrey wasn't having any of that though. "'If', she said 'if'!"

Cam shook her head and tried to help as well, "Just sign it."

Booth warned Caroline, "The moment this plane touches down, I lose jurisdiction."

Caroline sighed internally, breaking finally at Booth's silent plea. That man was too good for his own good. "This better be a good…"

Cam told her sternly, "Sign the warrant." However at Caroline's glare she added, "Please."

Caroline sighed as she said, "Okay, make the arrest."

Booth started to speak as fast as he could, "Eli Bilbrey, I am placing you under arrest for the murder of Elizabeth Jones, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law because this is the United States of America!"

The plane touched down then causing Booth and Brennan to stumble. Everyone started to applaud and Brennan thought that it was for them. So she started waving and saying, "Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

BOOTH: Bones. The applause is for the landing.

BRENNAN: Oh, yes. I always wonder why people do that.

~BONES~

Booth walked into first class holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses, already full, as he looked at his wife sitting down. "Look what I found, huh?" Brennan smiled at him, causing him to smile and joke softly, "There's that smile."

Brennan took the proffered glass thankfully as she said, "Thank you."

Booth nodded his head as he sank into the chair next to her across the aisle, "Mm-hmm."

Brennan sighed glumly as she looked out the window, "We don't even get to get off the plane?"

Booth shook his head as she looked back at him. "Nope, they're refueling, and finding us another pilot, and go back home."

They both took a drink of the champagne before she looked back into coach, where Eli was sitting, handcuffed to his seat. "What about his parents?"

Booth shook his head as he explained, "They gotta fly back on their own dime. Eli is in federal custody now." Booth watched as she nodded and then half-smiled. He knew that look too well. She was disappointed. He said softly, "You want to get off the plane, to see those old Chinese bones. I'm sorry."

Brennan shook her head as she said, "It's not your fault."

Booth now was feeling terrible. He had stopped the one thing that she wanted the most right now. He leaned his head against his chair as he said, "Yeah, it is, because I'm the one that dragged you out of pure science and pulled you into murder solving."

Brennan placed her hand on his arm and tried to get him to look at her as she told him, "That's not how I remember it."

Booth looked at her slowly, "Really."

Brennan smiled at him as she leaned forward. "Yes. As I recall, I had to force you to take me into the field."

Booth smiled as well and started to lean forward. "Really."

Brennan smiled at him even more as she whispered, "Yes. You didn't want to, remember? This is all my fault."

They were just about to kiss when Eli spoke up with a sigh, saying, "Hey, are you two gonna make out?"

Booth stopped his forward momentum as he shouted back, "Hey, quiet. You lost your right to talk."

Brennan titled her head slightly and asked honestly, "Why do people always think we're going to make out?" She didn't understand it. They were never touching each other overmuch when other people were around them. No one at the lab that hadn't been told knew about them. So how could strangers guess that they were together?

Booth shrugged as he said, "I say we let him sit back there the entire trip back, by himself."

Brennan nodded her head as she agreed, "He did kill someone. And he ruined my dig. Plus, you know he's gonna try to drink all the champagne."

Booth smiled at her as he said suggestively, "We're going to need some for later. To us." They clinked their glasses together before each of them took a drink. They both started to recline their chairs, but Booth's only went halfway down. He sighed internally. Really? "Hey, why does yours go all the way back and mine doesn't go all the way back?"

Brennan shrugged, "Oh, it's just how mine is."

Booth looked around at the seats as he said, "This is first class. They're supposed to go all the way back."

Brennan joked, "Maybe it's because you're supposed to be in coach." Booth shot her a look before she laughed and said softly as she patted the seat next to her, "Come on, Booth, there's plenty of room over here."

Booth smiled happily at the idea and climbed over her, careful not to spill any champagne on her. He settled down and sighed happily as he seat reclined all the way. He looked over to his wife, who was smiling at him, before he leaned over her, cupped her cheek and kissed her softly before whispering, "I love you, babe."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys umm since this is my school laptop they will be taking the laptops on May 18 - 19 so I will not be posting any chapters after that and until I get a new laptop or pc this story will be over until further notice. The story will end until further notice at chapter 17 or 18**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 – The Bone That Blew**

Booth was walking through the lab towards the examination platform, but on his way there he ran into the last person he expected…his father-in-law. "Hey, good afternoon, Agent Booth."

Booth watched Max pass by him and said in shock, "Max?"

Max smiled at him as he passed him slowly, "Wish I could stay and chat, but I gotta go pick up my new employment ID." He then patted Booth on the shoulder and then grabbed his bicep and joked, "Ooh, guns of steel!" He then slapped his arm before he walked away.

Booth turned and watched his retreating form as he said confused, "You work here now? Max, you...You work here now?" Booth swiped his ID and walked up onto the main examination platform, where Cam and Brennan were examining the remains from the tree.

Cam was oblivious to Booth's confusion as she told him, "I can still make out the accelerant pour pattern. Victim must have been doused post-mortem. I'll have Hodgins run it through the mass spec."

Booth still couldn't believe what he had seen. He turned to Brennan and asked – a little shocked as well that she hadn't told him, "Your dad works here now?"

Brennan looked at him as she said annoyed, "Not my idea." She then shot Cam a look and that's when Booth knew that this was something very new to the Jeffersonian.

Cam shot back in her defense, "She wants me to fire him."

Booth looked at his wife confused. She had been happy when Max decided to stay for her, but now that he thought about it, they really didn't talk very often. He thought that this would be a perfect opportunity for them to bond again. "Why?"

Brennan told him indignantly, "This is a crime lab! My father is a bank robber and an accused murderer."

Cam pointed out, "Booth's killed more people than Max has, and he works here."

Booth shot a glare at Cam as he said tensely, "Don't bring that up. Why'd you have to bring that up?"

Cam waved that off as she pointed something else out, "In fact, Dr. Brennan, you've also killed a person. And, I'll point out, Max was never convicted. So, in the eyes of the law, he's never killed anyone."

Brennan asked Cam, "Why are you defending him?"

Cam shot back, "Why aren't you?"

Booth knew Cam had a point there. He told her Brennan softly, "He is your father."

Brennan clenched her jaw as she told him, "Whose sperm hit whose egg shouldn't determine who works here."

Cam tried one more time. "Come on, he's showing kids around the museum. What can it hurt?"

Brennan wasn't going to talk about this. Not now. Perhaps ever. She put an end to the conversation. "Let's get to work, please."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were inside the victim's house, investigating his belongings, as Booth said, "The landlord said that Cal Warren worked crazy hours, you know, he kept to himself. Every time the landlord asked, you know, what he did for a living, he dodged the question."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders as she continued to look for anything relevant. "Maybe he liked his privacy."

Booth snorted lightly. "What, so much that he pays his rent in cash? I don't know, Bones, something is weird. It's not right. "

Brennan started to agree with him as she continued to look for anything and found nothing. "There's no letters, no photographs, not even...a bill. "

Booth started to look through some drawers before he asked what he hoped sounded nonchalantly, "So did you persuade Cam to fire Max?"

However Brennan knew him. Which meant she knew what he was really asking. "What, you think my dad should be allowed to work at the Jeffersonian?"

Booth grimaced a little. They knew each other too well to hide anything, "What? You know, she's just, you know, trying to do you a favor."

Brennan sighed as she told him, "Well, I didn't ask for a favor."

Booth told her gently, "Sometimes you don't need to ask." He knew why she didn't want Max to work at the Jeffersonian – after all, they did know each other very well – but he also knew that she needed this. He changed the topic after his statement to let her think about what he had said. "Got a passport. This guy's been to countries I haven't even heard of."

Brennan thought about that as she pulled a small white card out the pocket of a jacket hanging on a coat rack. She just didn't know what to do about how she felt. She decided to think about it more before she decided something.

~BONES~

As he drove both him and his wife to their interview, Booth still couldn't believe the outrageous payment for one year at that prep school. "Twenty-eight grand a year. I didn't pay that much for four years of college!"

Brennan personally didn't think that Parker needed to change schools and based off of how Booth was reacting, she didn't think that he liked the idea that much either. "If you think it's so ridiculous, why did you save the application?"

Booth told her – a little too quickly, "I didn't save it. I just didn't have a chance to throw it out yet."

Brennan placed her hand on his thigh and rubbed it gently in a consoling way as she said quietly, "You don't have to be embarrassed, it's perfectly normal to want the best for Parker."

Booth knew that, but he turned out to be a good man. He would do the same for his son. "Public school was good enough for me, it's good enough for my kid."

Brennan nodded her head, "Of course it is." She then thought of homeschooling though and how Parker could excel even more so in that environment. "Probably."

Booth shot her a little peeved look. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Brennan immediately knew her mistaken wording, and tried to cover up. "Parker is a bright, engaged little boy. I'm sure he'll do fine in a large classroom. I did."

Booth sighed as he thought about that. "Except..."

Brennan looked at him confused now. "Except what?"

Booth added sullenly, "Your dad was a science teacher. You're a scientist."

Brennan nodded slowly as she agreed, "Yes, my education was enriched at home." She didn't understand where he was going with this.

Booth smiled at her as he thought of an idea. "That's what I gotta do! Enrich Parker at home."

Brennan's brow furrowed as she honestly questioned, "In what academics are you qualified to offer enrichment?"

Booth hadn't thought of that. "Well..." Perhaps he couldn't do it, but maybe Brennan and her dad could. However, Booth shelved that idea for later as they pulled up to their victim's employer's place of residence.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were on their way back into town from the King residence and were discussing the new development in the case as she said, "The Royce boy was stitched up by the same doctor who said she didn't know Cal Warren."

Booth nodded as he told her, "Mm-hmm, I'm having her brought in for questioning." After a few seconds of silence, Booth asked, "You think those kids are better off than Parker?"

Brennan took that question literally meaning 'better' off – as in wealth and finance wise – as she answered, "Yeah, of course they are. They have every advantage: a wonderful school, a successful father, mother committed to charity work..."

Booth scoffed at that. "I spend more time with our houseplants than they do with their kids."

Brennan shrugged slightly as she explained from an anthropologic point-of-view, "Well, children of privilege have always been raised by staff. It's how the upper one percent stays the upper one percent. Assuming quality education and adequate supervision, parents are actually rather irrelevant beyond a certain age."

Booth shot her a look of disbelief. He didn't know if she was just spewing out facts or if she really thought that. "You're kidding me."

Brennan ignored that as she said, "Look at this, they start Latin in third grade. That's fantastic!"

Booth still tried to get to know her real opinion on the matter. "No, you know what's more important than academic enrichment? A loving environment. You ask anyone."

Brennan finally saw what her words had done and looked at him squarely in the eyes as she said seriously, "Parker is a wonderful child, Booth. You shouldn't feel inadequate."

Booth sat a little straighter in his seat as he told her, "Yeah, well I'm perfectly capable of raising my own kid."

Brennan observed, "You're being defensive."

Booth responded, "I am not."

Brennan decided at that moment that perhaps it was a good time to plant a seed. "It's because you only have one child, when you procreate in multiples, there's less pressure."

Booth looked heavenward as he sighed. Well, the last time they talked about it, there still wasn't any inkling for her want to procreate, so that didn't mean much for him. He said sarcastically, "Thank you. I feel much better."

~BONES~

Booth was pouring himself a cup of coffee when Max walked over to him. Booth still hadn't talked that much with his father-in-law since his trial, but they were on amicable grounds. "How's it goin' there, Max?"

Max sighed as he said, "Today's the last day with my kids this afternoon. I'm toast."

Booth asked, "Cam fired you, huh?"

Max shook his head as he told Booth, "No, no. Tempe fired me. And don't tell me she hasn't got the authority, because, believe me... I feel fired."

Booth didn't know what had happened, but he knew for Bones to fire her own father…something must have snipped the last string. "Sorry, Max."

Max leaned down to grab a bottle of soda, but stopped Booth from walking completely away as he asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

Booth turned back around and nodded slowly, "Sure." He didn't know whether he should be anxious or wary of the question though.

Max held the soda as he tried to ask his question in the right way. "Do you…you and my daughter, you know, plan to have any kids?"

Booth definitely hadn't been expecting that question. But he answered honestly, "No." But hopefully that would change soon.

Max leaned in a little closer as he whispered, "Why? Are you impotent?"

Booth laughed slightly at that. "No."

Max then asked defensively, "Is she not attractive enough anymore?"

Booth told her seriously, "Bones is beautiful."

Max asked finally deflating, "Is it because of me? Because I killed one man, and we both know he deserved it."

Booth shook his head as he said, "Max, right now, she just doesn't want any, not that I don't because I do. So, just cut it out, Max, alright, but I'll talk to her. Probably ain't gonna get anywhere with her, but... I'll talk to her."

Max smiled at his son-in-law as he said honestly and happily, "You're a good man. And I want that for her. And now I got to go blow up some soda for some kids." Max walked away a little happier at finally getting to see another side of Booth. His daughter had chosen wisely.

~BONES~

Brennan was looking down to the main area of the lab, where Max was about to demonstrate an experiment to Parker, as Booth brought her a cup of coffee. They looked down at the two do their experiment before Booth said quietly, "So, mom copped to conspiracy to avoid trial. She'll spend some time in prison."

Brennan looked at him as she asked, "How much?"

Booth shook his head as he sighed. "Not enough. My opinion, she ruined that little girl's life."

Brennan sighed as well. She didn't like how the case was ending. "What about the little girl?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Removed from the family, institutionalized for a couple of years."

Brennan scoffed at that idea. "Then it's back to ponies and tennis lessons?"

Booth nodded, "Mm-hmm."

Brennan lifted her chin slightly in the air, indignant at the idea of such a low punishment. "Well, Caroline should charge her as an adult."

Booth told her with laughter in his voice, "She's 11 years old, Bones."

Brennan reasoned, "Yeah, well, she's old enough to speak Chinese."

Booth chuckled slightly as he said, "Uh, they don't take that into account. Tell you, man, when that little girl killed Cal Warren, she killed the best father she had."

Brennan nodded her head as she said, "Well, sometimes it's hard to appreciate what you've got."

They looked down to see that Max was getting Parker to put candy mints in a tube suspended in the bottle of soda. Booth said proudly, "Look at him! Parker's never liked science before."

Brennan leaned into him as she rested her head on his shoulder. She asked softly, "So, are you still thinking of sending him to Woodbury?"

Booth shook his head. "I torched the application. I'm thinkin' there's something to be said for middle class. You sure he's gonna be all right?"

Brennan agreed immediately, "Sure!" But first she needed to put together a study plan for her step-son. "Well, probably."

Booth didn't like how that sounded. "Probably, like, what do you mean, probably? What the hell are they doing anyways?"

Brennan told him as if it were obvious. "Disrupting the surface tension of a two-liter cola."

Booth laughed lightly at her tone. "Right." They watched Max talk to Parker before Booth whispered, "Don't fire Max. Let him keep his job. You know, he's a teacher, he's not a janitor."

Brennan brought her head as she looked at him, "I can't overlook the sanctity of the forensic lab, Booth…"

Booth plead with her slightly, "Yeah, maybe you can overlook it for me."

Brennan looked at him confused, "For you?"

Booth nodded slowly as he said, "Yeah. Personal favor."

Brennan asked quietly, "What, like a spouse thing?"

Booth smiled at her as he leaned in toward her. "Spouse thing."

Brennan laughed slightly as she shook her head, "I know you, Booth. You're trying to do me a favor by telling me it's a favor for you."

Booth shook his head and told her honestly, "No. Mm-mm, no, I... I can't afford that school. I can't enrich Parker, not with the science thing, but... you can, Max can."

They both watched as the soda exploded and Parker called out excitedly to his dad, "Daddy! Daddy! Look what I did! I blew it up!"

Booth smiled down at his son. "Yeah, I saw little man."

Brennan smiled down at how happy her dad and Parker looked. She bumped shoulders with Booth as she said, "Look at my dad!"

Booth leaned into her a little bit more as he whispered, "Look at my little boy there with your dad."

Brennan couldn't help but be charmed at the smile that Booth was giving her. She sighed slightly, not in the least bit angry as she said, "Okay. Yes. Alright."

Booth leaned in and finally kissed her gently and lovingly on the lips, before he said, "Thanks, Bones."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys as you know the last three stories have been successful but this one is not I love my readers but I want more for this story and I as I said in other chapter this story will be on pause until further notice. And the story will stop at Chapter 18:17.**

 **P.S: Someone asked me this back in the first book so I'm answering it now** _" **W**_ _ **here on that time line does Bones enter the picture and how they got together so early on in Parker's life?" Answer: They had met up around 1 year and a half after Parker was born so Brennan didn't just drop into their like that. They started their relationship around the same time. A year later they got married, and two years after that they started working together.**_


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11 – Double Trouble in the Panhandle**

Booth was driving with Brennan sitting next to him on their way to the victims' house as Booth said excitedly, "So we're gonna talk to the twins' mother here in Forth Worth and then pick up our mobile home. And we'll join the circus right outside Waco."

Brennan was excited about their case as well. She loved it when they went undercover. But what Booth just said confused her beyond reason. "Our mobile home?"

Booth nodded, "Yeah Bones, circus folks crisscross the country in a mobile home. I have the field office here painting up something special for us."

Brennan furrowed her brow as she asked, "Is that all you need to get a job at the circus, a mobile home?"

Booth shook his head slightly. His wife never got the whole concept of publicity. And thank goodness for that because that meant that they didn't have to deal with paparazzi or the like. "You know what? It's gonna help, it's showy, showpeople."

Brennan couldn't help but say rationally, "It's always possible we'll talk to the girls' mother and solve this whole case tonight right?"

Booth said under his breath. "Hope not." Because he just knew in his gut that this was going to be an amazing case.

~BONES~

The duo were now driving up to the circus in their trailer. Brennan tried to find her right character as she said in a Hepburn accent, "The FBI did a wonderful job with this trailer."

Booth shot her a look. "Ok. Just loose the Katherine Hepburn voice."

Brennan sighed as she told him, "I'm just trying to find my character, you know acting."

Booth smiled lovingly at as he told her bluntly, "Don't. It sounds ridiculous, okay Bones? I love you, but just don't." He leaned over and kiss her quickly before jumping out of the trailer, Brennan following suit, and asked her, "What's my name there Wanda?"

Brennan rolled her eyes as she said, "It's written right there on the side of the truck. Which 'high wire' is not."

Booth placed his hand on the small of her back as he guided her inside the tent. "It's just sometimes you get irritated and you say 'Booth' without thinking."

Brennan snorted softly as she wrapped her arm around his waist and said huskily, "I don't do anything without thinking ever, Buck."

~BONES~

They walked into their trailer after having been vetted by the owners. Booth still couldn't believe the choice Brennan had made for their acting gimmick. "Russian? You had to pick Russian?"

Brennan didn't pick up on his aggravation as she said, "I know. Brilliant, right? It just popped into my head."

Booth was dialing Sweets' number as he said, "You know what? Don't pop things Bones." Thankfully Sweets picked up and Booth put him on speaker phone, "Sweets! What the hell is a first of May?"

Sweets explained, "A newbie, a rookie."

Brennan pursed her lips as she asked, "Why would a little person be referred to as a 24-hour man?"

Sweets laughed slightly as he said, "Oh, had a little trouble with the lingo huh? He is the advanced person, he goes to town ahead of the circus and sets everything up. If you like I could e-mail you a lexicon."

Brennan nodded her head. That you definitely come in handy. "I would certainly appreciate that."

Sweets nodded his head as he said, "Sure. Uhm…Can I offer a piece of advice?"

Booth looked up at the ceiling as he said exasperatedly, "Well…That's why we called you Sweets."

Sweets warned them, "Don't try too hard to be their friends, act like you're more interested in each other than any of them alright? They will come to you."

Brennan didn't really know how to do that as she looked at Booth confused and said to Sweets, "Okay. Thanks Sweets."

Booth hung up the phone and looked back at Brennan as he smiled. "So uh, sex right?"

Brennan smiled widely at that thought. "Oh, good idea."

Booth threw aside the cane he was holding and walked up to Brennan, pinning her up against the wall. He huskily said in her ear, "Okay." He then captured her mouth with his and devoured her.

Brennan wrapped her arms around his neck as their tongues fought for dominance. Breaking apart for air, she gasped out while Booth trailed hot, opened mouth kisses down her neck, "What I think we need to do…is get a syncopated rhythm going…that takes advantage of the natural frequency…of the springs."

Booth growled deep in his chest at her squint talk. For some odd reason that always turned him on. He tilted her head back further and kissed her with great fervor. He heard Brennan moan deeply as he intensified the kiss and he pressed his arousal against her. She hurriedly unbuttoned his vest and threw it to the ground as well as bringing his suspenders down with it.

Booth unbuttoned her dress and slid it down to her abdomen, revealing her rather sexy strapless bra. Brennan had stopped her movements at the feeling of cold air hitting her overheated skin and looked Booth in the eyes. He met her gaze with deep dark brown eyes and said huskily, "I love it when we're spontaneous."

Brennan brought him back to her as she finished unbuckling his belt, unzipped his pants and brought his boxers down. Which revealed the full extent of his arousal, bringing a shot of warm liquid to her core. She looked up at Booth again and saw him smile seductively. God she loved that smile. She smashed her lips against his as he pinned her against the wall again, bringing her legs to wrap around his waist.

Booth felt the wet warmth of her own arousal against his abdomen and his body instinctually responded by bucking forward, causing the motor-home to rock a little. He broke apart from the kiss and told Brennan as he fingered her underwear, "God, I hope you're not too attached these because they gotta go." With that he ripped them off of her body as he smothered Brennan's gasp of surprise with a smoldering kiss. He slowly entered her as he started a slow and steady rhythm, hearing the creeks and squeaks of the trailer moving as he pounded into her. Booth brought one of his fingers down to her clit and touched it gently, causing her to roll her head back and moan in pleasure. He felt her walls contract around him and knew that she was close. He knew he was going to have fun with this case. He was going to make her cum for him multiples time. "Come on Bones, let it go. Cum for me, baby." He drew one of her breast into his mouth and sucked gently. That was her undoing as she screamed out her release and bucked against Booth.

After she came back down to earth, she realized that he was still hard inside of her and moaned deeply again. "Seeley, oh god."

Booth smiled as he kissed the column of her neck. "I'm going to make you come so many times today that you're going to forget the number." Brennan wrapped her arms around his neck and dug her nails into his back as he carried her to their bed, still bringing her up and down in a fluid and sensual motion. She wasn't going to be able to move for quite some time after that.

Booth had been right of course. Brennan had lost count as to how many times she had orgasmed. What surprised her though was Booth's self-control over himself. Sure, he's held out on pleasuring himself for quite a long time, but this was by far the longest.

Brennan dug her fingers in Booth's hair as his tongue dove into her core, sucking her juices. She was so close again, she could feel it. However, Booth suddenly withdrew his tongue and that made Brennan whimper. "Booth."

He chuckled deeply at his wife's distaste for him stopping. But damn, he was about to explode, it was so painful. He needed to bury himself in her and finally find some release. He wrapped his arms around her body and kissed her deeply as he entered her slowly. He didn't want to hurt her by what his body was telling him to do – slamming into her like there was no tomorrow – but when he felt Brennan cum by just him entering her there was no holding back.

She screamed out her release again as she came and he swore, "Holy fuck Bones!" He couldn't help how his body reacted to the feeling of her contracting around him. He had held himself back for so long, his body just couldn't take it. So he slammed into her again and again as he felt her walls slowly stop convulsing.

Brennan knew that Booth was going to cum soon as well, even as her body came back down from a near blinding orgasm, and that's when she felt her walls start to contract again. Booth felt it as well and he swore he got even harder inside of her. He titled her hips up slightly so he could hit her g-spot and whispered hoarsely into her ear, "Oh fuck baby."

Brennan dug her nails even deeper into his back as she panted out, "Yes. Booth. Yes. Oh god, SEELEY!" She came just as his seed spurted inside of her. Booth didn't want to hurt Brennan more than he knew he already had – god he had been so rough – so he rolled onto his back still holding onto her after they both came back down from that amazing experience.

Brennan laid limp in his arms as he drew randomly on her back. He wasn't sure if she was asleep or not until he heard her speak, "That. Was. Amazing."

Booth's only response was a deep chuckle and a tightening of his arms around her body.

~BONES~

Brennan had just finished reading the letter 'left' by Jenny and Julie. Booth tried to play along with what he knew as he said to Henry and Lavelle, "That didn't sound like them."

Henry said, "It sounds like Julie."

Booth added, "Not Jenny."

Brennan said without really thinking about it, "Well maybe they were forced to leave under duress."

Lavelle snorted slightly as he said to Booth and Henry, "Listen to the five dollar words the target can use."

Booth shot her a look before he said, "She likes to read the dictionary."

Lavelle said quietly, "Tough girl, Jenny."

Henry sighed, "The rubes sure love them."

Brennan added, "Them quitting probably hurt your box office."

Henry shook his head as he stood up, "Sweetheart, I got nothing but trouble at the box office."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders as she said, "I'm sure we'll run into the girls somewhere or another. There's not many circuses anymore right?"

Lavellle heard the bell and informed the two, "Food's ready at the mess tent. If you two can drag yourselves out of your trailer, I'll introduce you to the rest of the gang."

Booth watched as the two men left before he turned on Brennan and said sarcastically, "Duress? You are smart…"

Brennan defended herself, "Just because I'm in a carnival…"

Booth shook his head. "Oh forget it."

Brennan watched as he walked away as she continued, "…doesn't mean I can't read books and have a good vocabulary."

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth were in their trailer talking to the lab through the webcam as Brennan said, "So one of the girls had a boyfriend." She then noticed that Booth had just sat down on her clothes. Which meant that they were going to get wrinkly, "Booth you're sitting on my clothes."

Booth sighed as he said annoyed as well, "I'm sorry but it's kind of tight in here."

Brennan pointed down at the floor, "Which is why you shouldn't throw your underwear on the floor."

Booth – who forgot that they had an audience – pouted slightly and said, "It fell."

Brennan rolled her eyes as she said – yet again, because this was not the first time, "Don't blame gravity for a lack of tidiness."

Cam raised an eyebrow as she asked, "Is there only one bed there?"

Hodgins' eyes widened at that. He quickly changed the subject – and happily as well – as he said, "Oh. Can we please hit rewind. One of the girls had a boyfriend?"

Brennan looked at him confused. Hadn't she just said that. "Yes."

Hodgins laughed a little, "Only one of them? I mean. How did they…? You know when they're…? I just don't see physically how they..."

Booth waved that away, "Okay look. That's not the issue."

Brennan told him, "Just take that image out of your mind and pretend their separate individuals and ask yourself if you found anything that suggested a relationship.

Booth saw that Hodgins was still thinking about it though. He said sharply, "Hodgins."

Hodgins snapped out of it as he said, "Huh? Yeah sorry. Still working on the mind picture eradication thing."

Brennan repeated her present, "Did you find anything on one of the sisters that you didn't find present on the other."

Hodgins nodded slowly as he said, "Uhh...yeah actually...yeah I did. A residue of polyelectrolyte polymers under the fingernails of Julie and not Jenny. It was polyfenal pyrrolidone."

Brennan asked confused, "What is that? Make-up?"

Hodgins shook his head, "It's not make-up it's hair gel. Seems like Julie was running her fingers through someone's hair."

Booth asked, "Julie was the one with the boyfriend?"

Brennan wondered, "Can you identify a brand?"

Hodgins shook his head as he said, "No. But it would smell a lot like sandalwood."

Booth snapped his fingers as he thought about it. "Oh. Smooth shore power hold."

Hodgins pursed his lips as he nodded slowly, "Hmmm yes. That's definitely on the list of possible products, yeah."

Booth nodded his head as he told them, "Dr. Muir was wearing a ton of hair gel that smelled just like sandalwood." He looked down to see that his wife was looking at him surprised. "What? Son of a barber, I know my traditional hair products."

Brennan made an 'o' with her lips of comprehension, before she said, "So Julie was having an affair with Dr. Muir?"

Booth tapped her shoulder as he nodded, "Tell you what? If we leave now we can question him and be back in a couple of hours."

Brennan nearly shot out of her seat at that, "No! Not in this thing and we have a show, we can't be late."

Booth gave her a look as he said, "We're not circus performers okay? We solve murders."

Brennan pouted a little as she told him, "Yeah, we're undercover murder solvers and if we don't make it back in time we'll blow our cover." She then played her innocent girl look that she knew got Booth every time.

Booth sighed as he caved in. "Tell you what? I will search for a faster vehicle. But first I gotta scavenge some Russian, you know some Russian costumes because somebody said we did a Russian act."

Brennan smiled at him as she said, "It was a great idea."

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth were on a motorcycle driving to see the doctor. Booth looked over at Brennan and asked, "Did you bring our real clothes?"

Brennan nodded her head as she pointed to her bag, "Yes they're in the bag." She then looked at Booth as she bit her lower lip before asking, "Where did you learn to drive this thing?"

Booth smiled at her as he said, "You're kidding me right? I'm a cop."

Brennan licked her lower lip as she watched Booth drive. "Well, I wish I had known sooner. I always found a man on a motorcycle very arousing for some reason." Booth shot her a wide-eyed look and was about to say something back to her about that, but she cut him off. "We should really talk about our act."

~BONES~

They were now driving back to the circus as Brennan asked, "Can you go faster? We'll miss the show."

Booth sighed as he said, "No we're great in time Bones. Alright? Relax." Booth's phone started to ring and looked at her as he said, "A little help there, Bones. Phone's ringing and I'm kind of busy."

Brennan reached over and started looking for his phone as she said, "Shouldn't we talk about our act? We need costumes."

Booth shook his head, "We're not needing the Russian costumes, we're dropping the act."

Brennan looked at him shocked. "What? You can throw knives. I saw!"

Booth sighed as he said dejectedly, "Yeah I know we can but we caught the bad guy. We don't need to go undercover." He wanted to do this as much as she did. Booth then realized that she was still looking for his phone. "What are you doing? Digging for loose change?"

Brennan finally felt the coolness of his phone as she said triumphantly, "Oh. Got it. Special Agent Booth's phone, Dr. Temperance Brennan speaking. Dallas field office, it's for you."

Booth shook his head as he told her, "Of course it is, it's my phone. Well...then ask them what they want."

Brennan nodded her head as she said, "What is this about please? They say all of Dr. Muir's alibi's checked out and that they can't hold him for murder."

Booth asked incredulously, "He didn't kill the twins?"

Brennan shook her head, "He couldn't have driven all the way to the Texas/Oklahoma border during that time." She hung up the phone and said excitedly, "Now can we talk about our act? I do know a few words in Russian."

Booth shook his head. This was not going to end well. "Oh no."

~BONES~

Booth stood in front of the trailer, dressed up, as Lavelle approached him. "You ready?"

Booth tried out his Russian accent as he answered, "Yes, ready to throw knives at beautiful woman."

Lavelle joked, "Not at, I hope."

Booth laughed nervously, "Right. No, of course. Around her." Right then though, Brennan opened up the trailer door, dressed in a soul searing outfit. Booth felt the wind get knocked out of him. "Wow Wanda, you…you look…wow."

Brennan smiled saucily at him as she bit her bottom lip and said, "You to Boris."

Booth smiled at her as he said with an accent, "You make beautiful Natasha."

Lavelle laughed a little at them as he said, "You act like this is the first time you've done this."

Booth continued to smile at his wife as he said, "Well, we like to keep things fresh."

Lavelle snorted slightly as he remembered what he had heard earlier. "As so I've seen."

Brennan watched Lavelle walk away before she whispered to Booth, "So I stand against a board right with balloons around me and you pop them with your razor sharp knives."

Booth nodded his head, "Right, unless we do our actual jobs and find the murder weapon." Because he really didn't want to risk hurting her.

Brennan looked up at him and scrunched her nose slightly. "What's with the mustache?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders, "It totally had a nice Russian form."

Brennan shook her head and laughed, "It looks like a small animal."

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth were going through items that belonged to the clowns as she said, "There's a giant plastic ice-cream cone, a giant plastic shoe, a giant plastic phone, a giant plastic plier."

Tumbles walked up to them though and said angrily, "Ho ho ho, wanna tell me what you're doing here?"

Booth looked up at him annoyed, "What you're gonna play tough? You're clowns. I throw knives."

Another clown said angrily, "Let's kick his ass."

Booth raised his hands as he said eagerly, "Bring it on Bozo."

Brennan tried to defuse the situation, because she knew that this was one of Booth's wishes. "Oh. We're just looking for a prop, that's all. Buck here is gonna knock this nose of my head with a knife."

Tumbles said angrily, "Why does everyone think the clown stuff is there for everyone. This is our stuff."

The clown yelled again, "Let's kick his ass you guys."

Brennan said annoyed now – and wanting for Booth to actually punch the clown, "Traditionally clowns are fun-loving and anarchistic, you are rigid and humorless."

The clown glared at her and said pointedly, "Let's kick both their asses."

Booth raised his fists ready to fight. No one threatened his woman. No one. He nearly growled, "You better have your biggest ass kicking shoes on."

Henry walked over to the group and shot a gun – causing a little banner to fly out. "Stop. You wanna have a clam, that's your business. But after the show. Tumbles I'm serious."

Tumbles glared at Booth one more time before he said, "Let's go guys."

Booth glared right back at him, "Not so funny now. Ain't ya, Tumbles."

Henry pointed a warning finger at Booth. "That's enough Moosejaw. We're lining up. You two damn well better be ready."

Brennan nodded as Henry left and as Booth picked up the fake hammer. "I'm ready, how about you?"

Booth nodded with a little less bravado as he swung the hammer on his shoulder. "You know ready." He then started to turn around and accidentally hit Brennan in the eye. "Oh god Bones."

Brennan clutched her eye as pain radiated through her skull, "My eye"

Booth brushed his hand over her head and asked, "Are you okay?"

Brennan nodded slowly, "I'm okay."

Booth knew that this was a sign. "We can't do the show now."

Brennan was having none of that though. "What? No! The show must go on." She was doing this, no matter what.

~BONES~

Henry started the circus off. "Ladies and Gentleman and children of all ages, welcome to Binghams Circus of Wonders, the most sensational, death-defying one ring spectacular on earth."

Brennan and Booth walked out on the arena, her waving enthusiastically as Booth waved half-heartedly. Brennan smiled widely as she said to Booth excitedly, "They're clapping for us Boris, smile Boris and wave. Show them your knives." Booth looked down at her as started to get into the whole thing. He watched her walk up to him and grab him by the belt, where his knives laid. "Come on, where's the Buck Moosejaw I married." She pulled out a few knives and showed them off to the crowd, all the while flashing him with a brilliant smile. Booth couldn't resist it. He joined in with her as he pulled out the rest of his knives and showed off to the crowd.

~BONES~

Brennan joined Booth by the entrance to the arena and told him excitedly, "Hey...hey? I got props."

Booth looked at her confused, "Props for what?"

Brennan explained, "Props, objects for you to throw knives at."

Booth shook his head as he told her seriously, "No, you will stand against the board still. I am going to throw knives around you but not too close."

Brennan pouted a little as she said, "That does not sound like a very good act. I'm sure the crowd is expecting a lot more than that"

Booth said, "There is no act. There's just me trying not to kill you."

Brennan tried to reassure him, "You said you were very good trained in knife throwing skills by the military."

Booth sighed as he rubbed his hand through his hair. "I am very good, but it's you I'm concerned for."

Brennan grabbed his bicep and said seriously, "If you say you're skilled than I have no reason to…"

However she stopped as she saw Magnum walk up to them and say, "You know it's not good for barbers to fight before the show, those things are sharp."

Booth watched as Magnum walked out and whispered to Brennan, "Let's just get through this, alright Mrs. Moosejaw?"

Brennan knew that she couldn't persuade Booth by talking to him. So she dropped it. "Okay."

~BONES~

Henry announced to the crowd, "And now direct from their triumphant tour of Europe and the Far East. Binghams Circus of Wonders is proud to present the razor sharp skills of the most thrilling, the most breathtaking, the most dangerous knife throwing skills in the world. Boris and Natasha and their Russian Knives of Death."

Booth and Brennan walked out and got ready for their act. Booth walked Brennan up against the board and whispered to her seriously, "Bones just keep your arms outstretched like this okay? Be very, very still."

Brennan nodded as she continued to smile, "Okay. Shouldn't the balloons be closer to my body."

Booth said tensely, "Not if you want to live."

Brennan was positioned between the balloons and Booth got himself ready. Booth took in a deep breath before he grabbed his first knife and threw it. It sailed through the air and hit the balloon right on target. He started to throw the rest of the knives and the balloons popped as they were hit. Brennan stepped away from the board and Booth enthusiastically used his voice to produce a victorious sound. "Natasha's balloons are no match for Boris' knives of death."

Brennan walked over to him and Booth kept making the sound. Brennan walked to a bag and takes out a prop. She showed it to the people and they all yelled in excitement. Brennan positioned herself against the board with the prop on top of her head. Booth listened as Brennan said something in Russian, but he had no idea what. He looked at her confused and then she pointed to the prop on her head. Booth couldn't believe it. He took in a deep breath before he threw the knife, hitting the prop right in the middle. Brennan smiled widely at him as she walked over to him with the crowd cheering. She whispered, "You really are as good as you said. You should try a blindfold."

Booth shot back, "Says the half blind woman."

Brennan walked back to the bag and took out a fake clown nose and showed it to the audience. Booth looked on at her surprised that she wanted that taken off of her. Brennan stood next to the board, awaiting Booth's final attempt.

Booth was going to kill her. It was official. But he couldn't do anything about that now. So he took in a deep breath and aimed. He threw the knife and let out a huge breath as it hit the nose and Brennan stood back with a gasp. Everyone was cheering as the two left the arena. Brennan told him enthusiastically behind stage, "They loved us! You were great. Superb hand eye coordination, Buckie."

Booth told her sternly, "I could have killed you."

Brennan nodded excitedly, "Therein lies the excitement for the spectators." Booth knew that she was going to be the death him. He just knew it.

~BONES~

Booth stepped out of his trailer and picked up a paper as Brennan stepped outside with coffee and said, "They're gone."

Booth nodded as he switched their coffee cups, "Yeah."

Brennan looked around confused, "We slept through it?:

Booth smiled slightly, remembering exactly what exhausted them. Mmmmm, it was a good night last night. "Yeah. Look at that Boris and Natasha and their Russian knives of death. Guess we all got it in us, because I would have run off and joined the circus."

Brennan smiled as she looked at the paper. "We did it."

Booth smiled down at her as he said, "Buck and Wanda were damn good."

Brennan bumped her hip against his as she said teasingly, "Buck was more dashing than you. I mean Buck drove a motorcycle"

Booth smiled down at her as he wrapped his arms around her, "Well Wanda was funner than you."

Brennan leaned into him as she asked, "How?"

Booth leaned in closer as he whispered, "Well she let me knock off a rubber nose from her face with a knife. You would never let me do that, you are way to rational."

Brennan hummed in the back of her throat as she felt Booth's lips finally touch hers in a searing kiss.

Sometime later, fully unclothed and sated, Brennan drew lazy circles on her husband's abdomen and asked, "Where do you think they are now?"

Booth tightened his hold around her waist as he said, "Over the horizon."


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Fire in the Ice

Booth was getting into position as they prepared to start up the next play. He glanced over at the stands and saw his wife, with Cam and Sweets, sitting there ready to cheer him on. Brennan hadn't been to one of his games in a long time. She had stopped going shortly after he had started working on that one case which made them hide their relationship, and thankfully most of the players back then either didn't remember her – she had had a different hairstyle and her hair was a lighter brown (since she had just gotten back from one of her digs) back then – or they had left the team bringing new members on board. But he was happy to finally see her there again. He loved how she dressed, with her adorable hats and scarves, when she watched him. Booth shook his head with a slight smile as he heard the Ref call out, "Let's have a nice clean game, everyone." He then focused completely as the puck was dropped and the game started as the Ref called, "Down."

Booth yelled to his team mate, "Come on, move the puck, Wendell! Move it! Move the puck!

Wendell shouted, "Up here, Booth. Up here!"

A Firedawg member shouted out, "Back on D."

Booth called out to his team, "Pick 'em up, on D, pick 'em up."

Brennan and Cam were watching in avid attention – for two completely different reasons – as Booth skated by. They both were calling out, "Go, Booth! Go, Booth! Go, Booth!"

Sweets breathed out in awe, "Wow." He couldn't help but imagine himself being crushed to nothingness at the mercy of Booth out on the ice.

Cam shouted, "Kill 'em, Booth!"

Booth smashed a Firedawg player in to the screen in front of them and they all cringed slightly at the impact. Brennan – who still had a hard time remembering what exactly hockey entailed – asked, "What did he do that for?"

Cam shrugged her shoulders as she explained, "It's what Booth does. Keeps the other team honest. He's what you call an enforcer."

Brennan didn't remember Booth saying anything about him being an enforcer. "What, like law enforcement?"

Cam arched a brow as she said slowly, "Yeah, okay. Well, let's go with that."

Right at that moment one of the Firedawg's players smashed into Wendell, knocking him down. Booth watched in outrage as the Ref didn't call it. "Oh, what was that? What about the crosscheck? Ref, are you blind?"

Wendell however got right back up and started back in the game. "Pass it! I'm open! Pass it! I'm open!"

Booth shouted, "Pick him off!"

The Firedawgs made a point and Pete Carlson shouted, "Yeah!"

Booth rushed forward as he shouted, "That was a cheap shot, Carlson."

Ed Fralic taunted, "Yeah, you guys suck."

The Ref called out, "That's 24 blue, two minutes for charging."

Booth looked at the guy in shock. "For what? What about the crosscheck back there, huh?"

However the Ref was having none of it as he told him, "Get in the box!"

Alex Pinna tried to calm things down between everyone. "Come on, man. It's hockey."

Booth still couldn't believe it. "Club hockey, and some of us have to go work in the morning, alright, pal?"

The Referee separated Booth and Carlson and said tersely, "Enough. Let's go."

Alex grabbed Pete and said, "Carlson, calm down! Skate away."

The Ref pointed toward the box as he said to Booth, "Just go in the box. Go on, get in there and sit down."

Carlson smirked at Booth as he said, "Yeah, sit down, crybaby."

Booth skated into the penalty box, which was right next to where Brennan, Cam and Sweets were sitting. Booth sat down as Brennan asked confused, "So, this is punitive, right? To be sent to this little area here?"

Booth shouted to Carlson, "Keep your head up next time, number 12. Keep your head up."

Carlson waved him off as he said, "Yeah, yeah, I'll be waiting."

Booth watched in aggravation. "Come on!" Booth then looked over and saw Brennan looking at him worriedly. She smiled though and waved. He waved back and smiled reassuringly to her. He knew that she still hadn't gotten the full grasp of the game, which he thought was funny. His wife, a genius, couldn't get the basics of hockey. Man, did he love her.

Cam continued to watch the game as she explained to Brennan, "It's called a penalty box, you know, send in."

Sweets added, "Yeah, Booth committed a penalty when he checked the big guy when he didn't have the puck."

Ed shouted from the ice, "Stay with him, Carlson. Just stay with him."

Booth watched as Carlson tripped Wendell and the Ref (again!) didn't call it. He shouted, "There's a hit right there, Ref, that you missed again."

Brennan watched Booth as he stood up and shouted that. She could feel her pulse quicken and her breaths become shallow. She almost licked her bottom lip as she said, "Booth seems quite anxious to get out of the disciplinary box."

Sweets had been watching Booth as well, thankfully not noticing Brennan's flushed cheeks, and agreed, "Yeah, I've never seen him this agitated before."

Booth shouted in warning, "Open man! Open man!"

However the Firedawg's scored. Brennan watched as Booth's ire rose and said, "That's not good, right?"

Sweets and Cam shook their heads. "No."

Brennan watched as Booth bolted from the punitive box and shouted in encouragement, "Go, Booth!" She watched as Wendell got the puck and said excitedly, "Wendell might get a basket!"

Carlson however took down Wendell in a sweeping motion and Booth yelled, "Elbow, Ref! Elbow!"

Brennan looked at Wendell worriedly and asked, "Is Wendell okay?"

Sweets shook his head as he said under his breath, "That can't be legal."

Cam grimaced slightly as she said, "It definitely is not."

The whistle blew and Booth shouted at the Ref, "Come on, Ref, you got to call." He then skated up to Carlson and shouted, "Come on, what are you doing, Carlson?"

Carlson threw down his stick and said, "Want to go?"

Booth thought he'd never ask. He skated up to him and started to fight. Throwing punch after punch. "Come on, come on. Let's go. Come on, let's go."

Cam shouted, "Come on, Booth!"

Booth landed another punch as he said, "You're a dirty player, Carlson."

Alex tried to help his buddy by saying, "Come on, bro. Get your hands free. Get your hands free."

Booth started to punch Carlson in the head, hitting his helmet each time. "You don't take shots at my guys. You got that? Ends here. Okay, Carlson? Ends here."

Brennan observed, "Booth seems to be winning."

Cam laughed slightly as she said, "Well, it's not Booth I'm worried about."

Ed shouted to the Ref, "That guy's out of control."

Alex tried to break it up. "No more."

The Ref finally skated over and said to Booth, "I'm gonna have to call a game misconduct on that one."

Booth said to Carlson, "All right. You get up off the ice, we'll finish this in the parking lot." He then told the Ref, "Come on. If you did your job, I wouldn't have to do it for you. Look at him. He's hitting my guys." He then skated over to Wendell and helped him up with his good hand, "You all right, buddy?" That's when he started to feel the throbbing pain radiating up from his hand to his arm. "Son of a bitch." He grabbed Wendell under the arm and lifted him up. "Get up. You all right?"

Wendell asked a little dazed, "Oh, did I score, man?"

Booth shook his head as he said, "Oh, yeah. Yeah... Come on."

Brennan had gone from completely aroused to completely worried in under one second. Once she saw how her husband was favoring one hand, she knew that he had hurt himself. "I do not know how I feel about this."

Sweets told her, "It's very primal."

Cam smiled as she watched Booth and Wendell skate off the ice. "I like it just a little too much."

~BONES~

Booth didn't know how he was going to be able to take off the rest of his uniform as his hand rested on his thigh with ice on top of it. He started with his skates as he asked Wendell, "So, you still seeing double?"

Wendell joked slightly, "Only when I open more than one eye. Your hand's busted."

Booth shook his head as he grimaced. "Yeah, well, you know, guy left his helmet on."

He looked up as the door to the locker room was opened, revealing a very worried Brennan. She asked, "Hey, you two all right?" She then noticed the look that her husband was giving her and asked confused, "What?"

Booth smiled slightly as he said, "Want to wait outside?"

Brennan almost pouted as she told him concernedly, "But your hand might be broken. Do you want me to look at it?"

Booth could feel every eye on Brennan and knew that if he didn't do something soon, he might break his other hand as well. "No, it's all right. You can wait outside please. It's a men's locker room, Bones."

Brennan then realized what he meant and nodded her head before leaving.

~BONES~

After dropping off Wendell at his mother's house, Brennan and Booth were finally back home – with Booth sporting a new cast and another set of broken bones. Brennan watched him as he slipped his good arm out of his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. Her nerves had finally calmed down after she had read his x-rays herself. It wasn't as bad as it could have been thankfully. He just needed to wear the cast for six weeks.

She watched as he made his way into their bedroom about to get ready for bed. She however wasn't tired, and considering that it was two in the morning she needed to do something to get rid of all the extra energy she had. She walked through the bedroom door and watched as her husband took off his shirt, slowly revealing his muscular abdomen. Thankfully, all of her pent up arousal from before came back in that moment, propelling her forward. Just as Booth was pulling off his shirt, covering his face in the process, Brennan quietly walked up to him and scraped her short nails down his abdomen, causing him to elicit a soft hiss as a familiar tightness began to form a little lower from where her fingers were.

Booth finished taking off his shirt in milliseconds and then just looked at Brennan, both shocked and aroused. He didn't know why she had done that, but he was not about to complain. However he got his answer to his unspoken question as she whispered to him, "Just so you know, I've been very aroused ever since that damn game started. Which only reminded me of that one time when you showed me a real good time in that locker room." She leaned forward, brushing her clothed breasts against his bared chest as she whispered breathily in his ear, "Remember that one time, Lamb."

Booth growled in the back of his throat as he cupped her buttocks with his hands lifting her off the ground, making her wrap her legs around his body. "I remember, Bones. Let me show you how much I remember." With that, he started to devour her mouth, all the while taking off every offending piece of clothing hindering him from skin to skin contact. Before long, they were both fully nude and in bed, both breathing heavily as Booth slid in and out of her. With one more stroke they both shattered, calling out each other's name. He rolled them over, so that Brennan was sprawled out on top of him, completely sated. She smiled sleepily as she felt Booth's good hand rest on the small of her back, while his casted arm laid next to him. She had changed her mind again, she did like hockey after all.

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth, who still had his cast on, were in a white tent with various FBI and police standing around while he asked her, "Hey, uh, what do you think there, Bones?"

Brennan looked at the body again as she told him, "I would surmise that the body went into the lake before it froze, then the lake froze, then the body floated up and became attached to the bottom of the ice."

Booth felt an itch on his arm as he said, "I meant, was he murdered?"

Brennan pursed her lips, "Oh, Um, maybe. Could have been an accident or a suicide, except..."

She then noticed that Booth was sticking a pen down his cast. "Oh, you shouldn't do that."

Booth complained slightly, "It itches, okay?" He wanted the damn thing off, now. "Yeah, well, except for what?"

Brennan shook her head slightly at his child like petulance toward his cast before she told him, "Trauma to the left maxillary orbit suggests violence. It's kind of gross, what you're doing."

Booth raised an eyebrow as he countered, "Gross? You got your finger in some guy's maxillary orbit."

Brennan sighed before she said, "I don't think there's anything else to be learned here, so let's get this Popsicle back to the lab."

Booth chuckled softly. "Hey, look at that. Bones, you made a joke."

Brennan smiled at him as she said, "Well, I can be quite amusing."

Booth however took note of something that caught his eye. "Wait a second."

Brennan tried to stop him from picking up the necklace. "Booth, you aren't wearing any gloves."

Booth couldn't believe it. "Bones, I...Remember that guy I punched out last month during my hockey game? Pete Carlson?"

Brennan sighed as she said, "Yes. When you broke your hand."

Booth told her, "That's him. I'm a suspect. Here."

She changed her mind again. She didn't like hockey so much anymore.

~BONES~

Brennan and Perotta sat at the table, while Caroline stood by the table and Booth stood in the doorway behind Brennan in an FBI conference room. Caroline couldn't believe the mess these two got themselves in sometimes. "Given that Agent Booth is currently the prime suspect in this murder..."

Brennan immediately came to his defense as she said, "We don't know it's a murder."

Booth however couldn't get over the fact that he was actually a suspect. "Oh, look at that- I'm the prime suspect."

Caroline continued on as if they hadn't interrupted, "Agent Payton Perotta here will be working with Dr. Brennan."

Brennan sat up straighter in her chair as she said tensely, "I won't work the case without Booth."

Perotta smiled slightly before she said, "In that case, I invite Agent Booth's continued participation. In the background as an advisor."

Caroline knew that look on Brennan's face. She wasn't going to make this easy. "Agent Payton Perotta has earned Bachelor's degrees in both forensic science and criminology."

Brennan sniffed indignantly. "Well, anything short of a doctorate is virtually useless at my level."

Caroline sighed. She knew that this wasn't going to be easy. "How would you like to proceed, darling?"

Booth smiled eagerly as he said, "Well, it's pretty obvious. We definitely want to interrogate the primary suspect, right?"

Perotta shook her head. "Yeah." This was definitely going to be interesting and perhaps she could find out something to help her with the pool going around the office.

~BONES~

Booth and Perotta were on opposite sides of the table in the interrogation room as Booth explained, "In the course of the game, the victim and I exchanged blows."

Perotta asked, "Who initiated the fight?"

Booth told her as if it were obvious, "It was hockey."

Perotta said sarcastically, "So, it was spontaneous combustion?"

Booth explained, "The guy hit two of my players. The-The ref- he didn't catch that."

She questioned, "And that made you angry?"

Booth shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Not angry enough, you know, to chase him down after the game and kill him."

Perotta then asked, "So, where did you go after the game?"

Booth hadn't thought about that. He couldn't very well lie per se about their relationship openly in an interrogation. "Uh, Bones drove me and Wendell to the hospital."

Perotta raised an eyebrow at his hesitation. She then asked, "So, no alibi that night or the next?"

Booth knew exactly what to say to throw any suspicions off their relationship. But he couldn't help the smile that came to his face as he remembered that night and morning. "Bones and I are just partners."

Perotta raised her brows at that and said, "Okay. Now you're answering questions I had no intention of asking." That gave her an answer to her suspicions though. "Is it your contention that, uh, your argument with the victim was constrained to the ice?"

Booth nodded his head, "That is my contention."

Perotta looked down at a piece of paper as she said, "'Cause I have a witness who stated you told Carlson, and I quote, 'You get up off that ice, and we'll settle this out in the parking lot.'"

Booth shrugged that off. "Trash talking."

Perotta knew that Booth didn't do it, so she stopped with the back and forth. "Let me cut to the chase here. Did you kill Pete Carlson?"

Booth leaned forward as he smiled charmingly, enjoying every second of being a suspect. "No."

Perotta leaned forward as well. "Did you dump his body in the lake?"

Booth shook his head. "No, I did not, Agent Perotta."

Perotta paused briefly before she leaned back and asked, "Do you feel that your experience as the child of an abusive alcoholic has made you more prone to violence?"

Booth lost his smile the second the question left her mouth. He stood up angrily, "Excuse me." He walked out of the room, slamming the door in the process, and walked into the viewing room and yelled at Sweets, "What the hell are you doing?"

Sweets nearly jumped out of his skin before he composed himself and said, "It's part of my job to assist the interrogating agent."

Booth nearly growled, "You know I didn't murder anyone, Sweets, all right? So what you're doing right now is you're just studying me."

Sweets added weakly, "That's part of our agreement, too."

Booth took a menacing step forward as he said deadly, "You have a question for me, you ask me yourself. Don't use her."

Sweets nodded his head as he tried to get control of his nerves. "All right, okay, two questions. One: am I picking up some sexual tension between you and Agent Perotta?"

Booth didn't even know how to answer that absurd question. "How the hell do I know what you're picking up?"

Sweets took that as a no. "Okay. Uh, two: underneath your affable exterior is a deep reservoir of rage. My question is, do you always have that under control?"

Booth's jaw hardened as he took another step closer and said with a calmness he didn't feel, "You know, if I didn't, you'd be dead right now instead of just wincing."

Sweets knew he was lying as he said, "I'm not wincing."

Booth shook his head angrily as he told him, "Don't ever bring my old man up again." Booth walked out of the viewing room, slamming the door shut in the process. He wasn't expecting though, for Brennan to be walking toward the interrogation room then.

She stopped immediately as she saw his tense jaw and angry look. She slowly walked up to him and whispered, "Booth, what's wrong?"

Thankfully no one was in the hallway then, because Booth didn't care if anyone saw what he did next. He cupped Brennan's face and kissed her soundly on the lips. He slowly pulled away and rested his forehead against hers as he whispered, "You know I would never hurt anyone, right Bones? You know that, right?"

Brennan didn't know what had happened in that room, but whatever did she knew that she did not like Agent Perotta even more so than ever before. She slid her hands across his back soothingly as she whispered, "Of course I do Booth. You would never hurt anyone. I know you didn't murder Pete Carlson. I know that. I could never believe that."

Booth nodded slowly as he took in a soothing breath. "Okay. Okay." He then softly kissed her lips one more time before he stepped back and said sighing, "I gotta finish my interrogation. I'll be out shortly." Brennan nodded as she watched him go back inside, realizing that he had come from the viewing area.

Booth sat down back down and said to Perotta, feeling much better after talking with Brennan, "So... Do you have any more questions? Thank you." He said the last part to her taking out the earpiece.

Perotta smiled at him as she asked, "Yeah. You work out much?"

Booth smiled slightly as he thought about his workout routine. Running with Bones in the morning and then watching her do Pilates as he worked on weights. "Yeah, I'm pretty consistent."

Perotta smiled at him as she tested the waters. "You look like you take excellent care of yourself."

Sweets had been watching this and shook his head as he said, "Okay, this is useless." He then walked out of the room to see Brennan waiting by the door to the interrogation room. He didn't expect for her to look at him like that though. If looks could kill, he would be dead. And he had no idea what he had done.

~BONES~

Perotta and Brennan were seated in stands while Booth and Wendell got ready to collect DNA. Perotta finally got up enough nerve to ask Brennan – who had been treating her rather brusquely – something that she had seen earlier between her and Booth. "You've worked with Booth for a while now, right?"

Brennan nodded as she worriedly watched Booth. "Mmm hmm."

Perrota just dove right in. "Is he the kind of guy that, uh, you know, I... Is he flirty?"

Brennan furrowed her brow, confused, "Flirty?"

Perotta asked in her terms, "Would you say he twinkles his eyes at all women?"

Brennan stated, "Twinkly eyes actually result when the pupils dilate very wide which is an unconscious result of intense interest or sexual attraction."

Perotta nodded slowly as she took that in. "So, no, he doesn't twinkle at everyone?"

Brennan shook her head, "No."

Perotta thought so, which meant she had no chance with Booth. And that something might already have started. "Alright."

~BONES~

Brennan watched in horror as Booth fell back, causing his helmet to fly off. He hit his head solidly on the ice. She felt her heart stop for a second before she broke into action. Without any thought to herself, she ran onto the ice – slipping and sliding – as she made her way to her husband. Wendell was rushing over as well, but she reached him first – later on everyone would wonder how she made it there that fast – and examined her husband. She gently shook his shoulder, "Booth?" However that didn't get a response. She felt panic rise in her throat as she thought of the worst. She said a little louder, urgently, "Booth? Booth? Booth?"

She watched as he slowly opened his eyes and croaked out, "Bones, what are you doing on the ice?"

Brennan sighed in relief as she said, "I get nervous when you fall down and don't get up. Come up here."

Wendell came to assist her as she lifted Booth up slowly. "Up you go, buddy."

Brennan laced her fingers through his as her other hand held onto his upper arm. "Come on."

Wendell told Booth, "Don't worry, I got the blood."

Booth looked slightly at Wendell as he said, "Good work, Bones."

Brennan became concerned all over again as she said, "But I'm Bones." It was official, she did not like her husband playing hockey.

~BONES~

Booth sat on Brennan's sofa in her office, with an ice bag on his head while Brennan stood by him looking on worriedly. Sweets walked in then and said, "I came as soon as I heard Booth had a brain injury. What part of your head hurts?"

Booth moaned softly as he said, "The part above my shoulders."

Brennan told Sweets in an even voice, "The doctor said he has a concussion. He shouldn't fall asleep. Otherwise, not serious."

Booth had told her what he had seen in the seconds he was out of it while she had driven him to the hospital. "Tell him about the hallucination."

Sweets eyes widened a little. "You hallucinated?"

Booth told him, "Luc Robitaille gave me advice."

Brennan still couldn't understand the meaning of what he had seen. "You got advice on a murder case from..."

Sweets cut her off and asked, "What did he say?"

Booth whispered, "He said, 'Don't worry about the... the player's blood.'"

Sweets nodded slowly, "That's very interesting."

Booth nodded slightly before he said, "Lucky Luc told me to look in a different direction."

Sweets said again, "That's interesting."

Booth snapped slightly, "Stop saying that... just stop." The kids voice was getting to him.

Cam walked in then and informed everyone, "Preliminary DNA tests show that the blood mixed in with the victim's did not belong to Lou Herrin."

Booth exclaimed, "Lucky Luc was right."

Cam told him, "All that means is that you got your brains scrambled for nothing."

Booth murmured, "Lucky Luc is never wrong."

Sweets stated, "This hallucination could be, uh, Booth's subconscious speaking to him through the voice and image of someone that he idolizes."

Brennan could see that, sort of. "Like a modern version of a Vision Quest?"

Booth started to stand slowly as he thought about what else he saw. "You know what, hallucination or not...Lucky Luc, he told me something about myself that... He told me something."

Sweets said imploringly, "I'd be very interested in knowing what he said."

Booth started to walk away as he told the kid, "Lucky for me, you're never gonna find out because Bones is gonna drive me home and get me soup."

Brennan followed him happily out of her office, already knowing what soup he wanted.

~BONES~

Brennan walked into their apartment and called out, "I'm back."

Booth however continued to mumble to himself, "Hey, what brings them together? What brings the team together?"

Brennan told Booth, "So, I got the soup from the place. And, yes, I told Mama that it was for you especially. She says she hopes you feel better. I've always liked that woman." She placed the soup on their table before she noticed that Booth wasn't even paying attention to her. She walked over to him to find out what was bothering him.

~BONES~

Brennan and Booth were skating at the ice rink. She had no idea why she let him talk her into this. "I'm not positive this is a good idea."

Booth tried to catch up to her as he said, "Oh, I got you! I got you. Stay up here." However he didn't get to her in time and she fell down. "Okay, it's all right. Here we go, one more." He leant down and helped her back up as he smiled at her, "Well, you know what, I got to stay up all night, so who better to keep me company than you?"

Brennan slowly started to skate again, grabbing his arm and she said, "You and me skating is saving you from slipping into a coma?" She then slipped again.

Booth thankfully caught both of them before they fell and said, "Oh, easy, Bones. Now I'm gonna go down."

Brennan pouted slightly as she told him, "I have a lot of natural athletic ability."

Booth tried to contain his laughter as he joked with her, "Oh, yeah, natural. I can... I can see that. Real smooth and natural. That's it. Well done."

Brennan smiled at him before she leaned her head against his shoulder and tightened her hold on his arm. "That Agent Perotta, she really enjoyed working with us."

Booth shrugged slightly, "Yeah."

Brennan looked up at him as she said sincerely, "But, um... you're the only FBI agent I want to work with." Booth leaned in and kissed her softly before she leaned back and asked him quietly, "Will you tell me what the Lucky Luciano told you?"

Booth shook his head as he laughed. "He's not an Italian opera singer. Bones, why do you always say that wrong? You do it on purpose, don't you?"

Brennan slid her hand down his arm, interlacing their fingers and smiled knowingly at him, before she said seriously, "I would like to know what he said."

Booth was quiet for a few seconds while they skated before he said just above a whisper, "He said that I'm not like my old man. He said I'm made of better stuff."

Brennan brought her arms up again and wrapped it around his bicep. She leaned into him as she said sincerely, "Well... I don't know your old man, your father, but... I think you're made of very, very good stuff."

Booth smiled down at her before he went back to their earlier topic. "Hey, you know what? Forget about Agent Perotta, all right? Nothing's gonna change between me and you. "

Brennan couldn't help but state, "Well, entropy is a natural force that pulls everything apart at a subatomic level. Everything changes."

Booth grabbed her by the waist and slowly started to push her as he said, "Not everything, Bones."

Brennan held onto his hands and said a little scared, "Don't."

Booth said again to reassure her, because he knew what she was feeling, as he moved in front of her, "Not everything."

Brennan told him, "You're gonna make me fall."

Booth told her honestly, "I'm never gonna make you fall. I'm always here." He then grabbed her hand and warned, "Here comes the big spin." He spun her in a wide circle, which ended directly in front of him – well against him. Brennan laughed happily, her eyes turning a vibrant blue as she looked up at him. He whispered one last time, "Not everything changes." He then leant down and sealed that promise with a kiss. A kiss that spoke louder than words ever could. Because she knew he was right, not everything changed. But she had. And she was happier for it, because she learned how to love. And she loved her man very much and that would never change.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – The Hero in the Hold

Booth was looking in the mirror and putting the final touches on his rented tux (and yes it was rented, because Booth hated monkey suits and he was not going to own one for these rare occasions) and his cocky belt buckle. Booth adjusted his tie one last time as he said to himself, "Look at that." His cell phone started to ring and he went to grab it as he said with a slight grimace, "Ohhh, it's got to be Bones. Yup." He knew that he was late, but he had gotten caught up with one of their latest cases and he had let the time slip. He told her immediately, "I'm hurrying Bones."

Brennan was driving to her study apartment (the one that they decided to keep for her use and storage of her artifacts) as she asked Booth, "Do you need directions?"

Booth walked out of their bedroom and into their living room as he said to her, "No, I do not need directions because I am driving."

Brennan couldn't help but tell him, "My GPS can provide perfect directions in several languages."

Booth walked over to the coffee table and grabbed his new watch. He then told Brennan happily, "Well get this, ok? Parker got me this new watch today and it does the same thing."

Brennan was surprised by that. She asked curiously, "Oh, in several languages?"

Booth internally rolled his eyes at her literal sense. But that was why he loved her. "No."

Brennan told him, "Well then it's not the same thing."

Booth looked at himself one more time in the mirror and adjusted his tie. He couldn't help but think about what she looked like. She always looked amazing when they went to theses shindigs. "I bet you are looking beautiful, huh? Because I am in the finest tux that money can rent."

Brennan smiled at his words. He always had a way of making her feel like the only thing on the world. "Well, I'm on my way to my study to get dressed. But you need to be there an hour and a half before me to watch the tribute video. My GPS indicates that it's a 25 minute drive for you. This is my big night Booth."

Booth could hear her anxiety in that last sentence. He knew just what to say to comfort her and make her relax. "Alright Bones, listen. Don't worry, I will be there when they crown you super scientist. I will be the guy in the cocky belt buckle and the snazzy rented tux." He then heard someone knocking on the door, "Someone's knocking on the door."

Brennan asked confused, "How can there be a knock at your door if you're already driving?"

Booth looked at his phone as he contemplated answering her. He decided on facing her later that night when she was going to be high off her award. He hung up and headed toward the door as Brennan became frustrated that he had actually hung up on her.

~BONES~

Brennan rushed into the Jeffersonian, all dressed up for her event. Cam, Sweets, and Angela were all waiting for her. And as Cam saw Brennan she said, "You're late."

Brennan sighed heavily, "I know. It took me longer to get dressed than I thought but don't worry my GPS will get us there on time."

Angela laughed softly as she put on her jacket and joked with her friend, "It's not a time machine sweetie."

Sweets said excitedly, "I call shot gun."

Cam was shaking her head as Brennan's cell phone started to ring. She reached into her purse and answered, "Brennan."

The Gravediggers voice came on and said, "I have taken Seeley Booth." Brennan felt the air rush out of her lungs. She couldn't believe it. She reached for Cam's phone and started to record the rest of the message, "He has been buried alive. He has 21 hours to live." Angela turned around to see what was wrong. Her face dropped when she saw Brennan's look of worry. Cam also looked troubled at how Brennan was acting. "Bring the evidence to the SW5 DC Boundary Stone in return for which you will receive GPS coordinates. If you involve law enforcement I will know and Seeley Booth will die. This is my final communication." Brennan stopped the recording on Cam's phone but kept her phone to her ear as she still hadn't started to breath yet. She didn't want to believe it.

Cam asked worriedly, "What's going on?"

Brennan still didn't look up as she tried to get control of her emotions. She was almost at a full blown panic attack, thinking the worse, before she was able to store all of those emotions in a small box and compartmentalize everything. "The Gravedigger has Booth."

~BONES~

The door opened to their apartment after Brennan had unlocked the door – with a key that no one seemed to take notice of – and Sweets walked in holding a stiletto for a weapon. He was being cautious and Brennan followed behind and turned on the light, slightly annoyed that he was acting like that. She needed to find Booth and he was just hindering her from precious time. Cam and Angela walked in behind her. Cam called out, "Booth?"

Brennan looked back at her and told her tensely, "He's not here. I told you." She didn't even think about covering up that she lived there or that they were married. Her only focus was on finding her husband. It was a miracle though that no one did notice the differences between a 'bachelor pad' and a domesticated apartment. An apartment that was in fact probably out of Booth's price range if you paid attention.

Angela, for one, did notice but didn't say anything because she knew she wasn't supposed to tell. "I was hoping it was…like a prank call or something. "

Cam made the observation, "The door was locked."

Sweets asked confused, "What does that mean?"

Angela said sarcastically, "Well, I doubt that the Gravedigger would take the time to…" She then noticed that Sweets was still holding her shoe. "Give me the shoe." She then continued on with her previous thought, "…would take the time to lock the front door on his way out."

Cam added, "Especially lugging 190 pounds of unconscious Booth." They continued looking around the apartment, all ending up in the living room, as Brennan emerged from the bedroom and saw something that she knew that Booth would never do.

Brennan pointed to an open window, "He was dragged…toward the window."

Angela said in horror, "Oh my god. Okay, alright, we need to call the authorities." Brennan immediately looked at her pointedly as Angela told her honestly, "We are in way over our heads here."

Sweets shook his head, "No. No, no, no. I read up on this guy. If we want Booth back, we need to pay the ransom."

Cam said confused, "The Gravedigger wanted evidence. What evidence?"

Brennan thought for a second before she said, "It has to be the same evidence that the state attorney and the FBI think that I have, which I don't."

Sweets asked Angela as she started to dial her phone, "What are you doing?"

Angela told him, "They called in Hodgins too."

Brennan asked incredulously, "You think he stole the evidence?"

Angela told Brennan seriously, "I know you didn't. "

~BONES~

Brennan walked into the lab to find that Hodgins doing push-ups. She clenched her jaw and said, "Could you stop that, please?"

Hodgins stood up immediately and told her, "I was just working off adrenaline. How long ago did the Gravedigger get Booth? What kind of time do we have?"

Brennan thought that she could trust the man in front of her. But if what she was about to say was true, she wasn't so sure anymore. "I know you have what the Gravedigger wants. The evidence that the judge told us about. The Gravedigger thinks that I have it. But he's wrong. It's you. Give it to me." When she saw his hesitation Brennan grabbed his arm and squeezed it tightly. "Hodgins, my husband has been kidnapped by the Gravedigger. I will not lose him again. Give it to me."

Hodgins looked up at her and saw the fear in her eyes. He nodded slowly and walked over to another room – with Brennan following him closely. He pulled out a metal briefcase and opened it up. He turned to show Brennan the files inside. "There. That's everything."

Brennan didn't know whether to believe him or not. She told him, "The judge was after a specific piece, Hodgins, something that you stole from the FBI." Hodgins didn't like the way she was looking at him. He had never seen that look from her before. She was disappointed with him and he hated that. He pulled a small vial out of the case. Brennan grabbed the vial and said, "I remember that. It was embedded in your leg."

Hodgins nodded his head, "Yeah. Probably came off the bumper of the vehicle the Gravedigger used to run me over. Only shortly before he buried me alive."

Brennan looked up at him as she added, "With me."

Hodgins knew then that she was royal pissed at him and disappointed with him, so he tried to say encouragingly, "I'm pretty close to…discovering the manufacturer. Which will help us narrow down the suspect pool."

Brennan shook her head and told him tensely, "Booth doesn't have that kind of time."

Hodgins reached to take the vial back from Brennan, but she pulled it closer to her as Cam and Angela walked in and Cam asked, "What is that?"

Brennan answered, "Evidence that the Gravedigger wants." She then noticed that Sweets was in the room with them and told him, "Sweets, you…you shouldn't be here. The Gravedigger said no FBI involvement."

Sweets said, "I'm a psychologist, not an agent."

Cam agreed with Brennan, "An FBI psychologist. Dr. Sweets, get, gone, now."

Angela watched Sweets leave angrily and then turned to Hodgins and said angrily, "You stole evidence?"

Hodgins tried to explain it, "You don't know what it was like. Being buried in that car."

Brennan told him angrily and forcefully, "I do. I was there."

Hodgins looked down, ashamed. "I know. And if we turn over that evidence we will never catch the Gravedigger."

Cam shook her head as she told him, "Booth only has 19 hours."

Hodgins still couldn't let the evidence go though. "Okay, okay. Let's just take 10 of those hours and see if we can do both." Hodgins looked at Brennan as did Angela and Cam, and told her, "Brennan, I'm telling you the answer is there." Hodgins watched as Brennan looked worried about taking the chance. She stared at the vial. She started to shake her head slightly and Hodgins added softly, "10 hours?"

Brennan looked at Hodgins before she looked back down at the vial. She didn't really care about finding the Gravedigger, she only wanted to find Booth. She looked back up at Hodgins before she compromised, "8. And Dr. Hodgins is never left alone."

Angela asked surprised, "You don't trust him?"

Brennan looked at Hodgins to let him know exactly how she felt. "No. I don't."

~BONES~

Hodgins and Brennan were on the speakerphone with Angela and Cam after leaving the parking garage. Hodgins told them, "Vega's dead."

Angela couldn't believe it. This was getting way over their heads, "Oh God. Vega's dead. Right, like murdered, dead?"

Brennan clenched the steering wheel a little tighter. This was taking too much time to find Booth and working on the Gravedigger case. She was done. She was going to get her husband back. Brennan was not about to lose him again. "We had no opportunity to examine the body to examine the remains before the FBI interrupted us."

Cam's eyes widened a bit at the last part, "Woahhh. What? FBI?"

Hodgins nodded. He knew he didn't like that chick for some reason and now he knew why. "Yup. FBI Special Agent Perotta."

Brennan knew what she had to do. And there was no changing her mind about it. "We're going to swing by pick up the evidence and deliver it to the Gravedigger."

Hodgins looked at her shocked. They still had a window period to do both. "What? Woah-woah-woah. We just do what he wants?"

Angela agreed sadly with Bren, "We have no other choice. You spoke to the FBI."

Hodgins said a little petulantly, "We didn't talk to the FBI, they talked to us."

Cam told him seriously, "Somehow I don't think the Gravedigger is going to take that into consideration."

Hodgins looked at Brennan and pleaded with her. "We still have time: to catch the Gravedigger and to save Booth."

Brennan started to shake her head. It would be different if someone else's life was on the line. They would have their whole team and her heart wouldn't feel like it was about to be crushed. "The odds are not acceptable."

Hodgins didn't get it though. They had time. "Why?"

Brennan snapped and yelled with tears filling her eyes, "Because we don't have Booth to help."

Everyone was silent for a few seconds after that outburst, finally seeing this for what it was. Cam took in a deep breath and said, "Let's be clear here. What we intend to do next constitutes felony conspiracy."

Brennan knew that and she didn't want to risk anyone else's life. "Not you. Me. I can do it alone."

Hodgins shook his head though. If they were going to do this – and now he really couldn't tell his friend no after seeing her almost break down – then they were going to do it together. "No…No. Nobody does anything alone. Vega was alone."

~BONES~

Booth looked at Teddy, who was trying to pick the lock, and said a little dazed, "You were 20 years old when you died."

Teddy smiled at him as he said, "Still am. You, Sarge, I've got to say…you've uh, put a couple years on. Hey is it true that the 30s is when your body really starts going south on you?" Booth moved to another section of fence, trying to get his mind wrapped around Teddy being there and to see where the hell they were. Teddy tried to make small talk, "Hey, you got any kids, Sarge?"

Booth nodded slightly as he answered, "Yeah, I got a boy."

Teddy asked curiously, "What's his name?"

Booth continued to look around as he said, "Ah, you're probably going to take this wrong."

Teddy looked at him confused and then asked horrified, "Why? What'd you do? You name him something stupid like…like Cutter? What, Tanner? Brady? Aw, God, you didn't name him Sebastian?"

Booth looked away for a second before looking back at Teddy. "Parker. I named him Parker."

Teddy was speechless for a second and then said above a whisper, "That's my name."

Booth nodded slightly as he felt his throat get tight with emotions. "That's your last name. You know and your lock picking sucks."

Teddy watched as Booth walked away looking around again as he said in awe, "You named your kid after me?"

Booth told him, "Yeah."

Teddy asked, "What's he like?"

Booth smiled slightly at the thought of his son. "He's uh…he's just like a kid you know, but uh, he's even better."

Teddy started to follow Booth as he asked, "Does he like you?"

Booth smiled as he said, "Of course he likes me, he loves me. I'm his dad, you know? He even got me this watch."

Teddy looked down at Booth's left hand and noticed no ring. He then asked, "What about his mom?"

Booth said, "Yeah, she uh…she likes me. But uh…she didn't love me."

Teddy wondered if it was the same person that Booth was with on his last mission. "You loved her though?"

Booth, who had found a small hatch, was trying to open it as he said, "Of course I loved her. I still do. I just don't like her too much." He would always love Becs, but not in the way that he loved Bones. Booth closed his eyes slightly as he thought about his wife. He knew that she was looking for him, but he also knew what she was feeling now as well. The panic of losing him was probably overwhelming her and he needed to find away to stop that. With that last thought he found the strength to open the rusted hatch all the way.

~BONES~

Brennan, Hodgins, Angela and Sweets were walking from the conference room to the elevators after leaving from the graveyard. Brennan looked at her watch and said worriedly, "It's been almost 2 hours. Why hasn't the Gravedigger sent us Booth's coordinates?"

Sweets didn't know how to put this lightly. So he just said it, "I think we have to accept that the Gravedigger isn't going to release Booth. He's cleaning up."

Brennan looked at him confused, "Cleaning up?"

Sweets nodded and told them as they waited for the elevator, "Yeah. He destroyed the evidence. Now he's trying to destroy everyone who'd gotten close to him. Vega, Agent Booth, you and Hodgins."

Hodgins stomach dropped at Sweets words. He couldn't believe what he had done. Brennan would never forgive him and he would never forgive himself. "It's over. Booth's dead. It's….my fault. We're out of options."

Brennan's jaw hardened and she shook her head. "No." As they walked into the elevator, she knew what she had to do. Because she wasn't giving up on him, like he didn't give up on her. "No, it's not over. And I know exactly who to ask for help."

~BONES~

Brennan walked into the Founding Fathers and walked over to where Jared was having a drink. Jared stood up as she came over and said to her, "So what's so important you couldn't tell me on the phone?"

Brennan told him bluntly, "You're brother has been kidnapped by the Gravedigger."

Jared's breath rushed out of him as he processed that information. "Seeley's been kidnapped?" At Brennan's nod of confirmation, he asked, "When?"

Brennan took in a shaky breath as she said, "Booth will be dead in 6 hours. What I need you to do is hijack the remains of a murder victim and then bring them to me."

Jared wanted to help, but that was asking a lot from him. "I'm in military intelligence, we don't hijack dead bodies."

Brennan pressed on though, "The victim's name is Thomas Vega."

Jared tried to make her see that she was crazy, "So you want me to steal the remains of a murder victim from the FBI?"

Brennan didn't have this kind of time. "Yes! As soon as possible, please."

Jared wanted to help but he just couldn't do what she was asking of him, "I can make a few calls…"

Brennan's eyes burned a vibrant blue as anger washed over her. "No. This is not a situation where you make a few phone calls."

Jared told her, "That's who I am, Tempe. I am the guy who makes a few calls."

Brennan was shaking in rage as she told Jared, "Booth has never turned his back on you. You are a selfish coward and you never deserved him." She rushed out of the bar, running to her car as fresh tears started to spill from her eyes. He was her last real hope and now she could feel her heart be crushed again. She was really going to lose him this time and it was going to be her fault.

~BONES~

Booth was working on the transponder as he told Teddy, "We can feed the uh, transponder signal through the ship's antenna."

Teddy smiled as he remembered, "Well, you told me sometimes you've got to stand and fight and sometimes you got to…run like hell for help." Teddy noticed Booth's faraway look and said, "Sarge? Sarge?"

Booth shook his head and looked at Teddy before he said softly, "You never should have gone on that last mission. I mean…taking on another sniper that was…that was way beyond your…capabilities. There was…you could…that's why you're haunting me, right? You're…"

Teddy smiled encouragingly at his mentor and told him, "Can't an old army buddy just show up to lend a helping hand?"

Booth thought about it for a few seconds before he nodded his head and said, "Yeah"

Teddy tried to fill the space of silence as he asked, "You got a partner now?"

Booth smiled as he thought of Bones. "Yeah."

Teddy asked curiously, "You two tight?"

Booth stopped working as he thought of Brennan again. He nodded his head and said, "Yeah…Um…we're uh…you would have…you'd like her. She's…"

Teddy smiled at that, "Her? Way to go Sarge…"

Booth shook his head as he said, "Look, just focus here on...uh…alright, Corporal? Whoever is monitoring the sinking of the ship should be able to pick up the signal, right?"

Teddy saw the smile on Booth's face and nodded his head as he said, "Very cool, Sarge."

~BONES~

Taffet was sitting silently in the chair and Hodgins stepped closer to her and said, "I'd like to kill you." He then told the team, "I hate her. I think I could murder her."

Brennan knew exactly what he felt. She crossed her arms and said, "If any group of people can murder someone…and get away with it…it would be us."

Jared walked in then and whipped the chair around as he told her quietly, "I'm not going to ask you any questions, I'm just gonna tell you what's going on, right now. I went through your file. As Heather Taffet you have led a very tiny, transparent life. But in 1998 you married a man named William Burton for exactly one month before you had the marriage annulled…which was long enough to create an entire identity…a whole untraceable identity…which you used for one thing, and one thing only: to rent a storage locker in Spring Hill. I got you bitch."

~BONES~

Angela walked up to Brennan and said happily, "Brennan, they know where Booth is. Jared is getting a helicopter to take you there. He's on an old Navy ship."

Brennan felt the air in her lings rush out of her as every emotion possible washed over her. She started to walk out but she stopped and picked up a briefcase and smacked Taffet with it. Taffet flew off her chair and fell on her side. Satisfied, Brennan stormed out, throwing the case down. She was going to find her husband.

~BONES~

Brennan was riding in the helicopter over the ocean out to the ship. She was on the phone with Jared through the helicopter's headset as he said to her, "Temperance, can you hear me? I'm patched through via cell phone."

Brennan shouted, "Jared? What? I don't understand, why aren't you here on the helicopter with me?"

Jared told her, "Typical Navy red tape, nothing to worry about. But listen. They couldn't cancel the detonation. Something's wrong with the transponder."

Brennan felt her heart stop a beat before she asked, "What do we do now?"

Jared told her with some urgency, "The ship blows in 9 minutes. They Navy's only given you 5 to get there and get Seeley off."

Brennan shook her head. That wasn't enough time. "No, Jared, Booth could be anywhere on that ship. 5 minutes is not enough time."

Jared told her sadly, "These guys don't negotiate, Tempe. They won't risk anymore lives."

Brennan asked, "Are you alright?"

Jared said honestly, "It's all worth it as long as you save my brother."

Brennan looked out to the ocean hopelessly, knowing that if Booth wasn't near the deck there was no way to save him. But would die trying. They were just circling the ship when Brennan gave out a cry of pure joy. She saw Booth standing on the deck. She yelled to the pilot to land on the deck. As the helicopter landed Brennan opened to the door and yelled, "Booth!"

Booth turned around where he had been talking with Teddy and saw his wife yelling, "Hurry! Come on!" Booth looked back once more at Teddy, but his body was gone. He heard Brennan yelling still, "Hurry, Booth, come on!" Booth began to step towards the helicopter but stopped again to look back at where Teddy was lying. Brennan yelled again, much more intensely since he wasn't running to the helicopter, "Booth, come on! Hurry!"

Booth finally stepped back then turned around and jogged to the helicopter. He climbed in the helicopter and as the pilot shut the door, Brennan grabbed him and hugged him tightly as she started to cry. She put her head in his shoulder while he still looked confused and disoriented but he was glad to be safe. He wrapped his arm around Brennan's body and tried to comfort her as he whispered, "I'm here, Bones. I'm right here."

Brennan nodded against his shoulder as she tightened her hold a little more. She had him, he was safe and alive. That's all that mattered.

~BONES~

The two were at Arlington National Cemetery, standing and looking out over all the white headstones, before Booth said, "Thanks for coming to get me, Bones."

Brennan would have done Booth anything at the moment, even if she didn't agree with it. And she said as much, "You should have stayed in the hospital another day."

Booth smiled at her as he said, "No, I didn't mean…get me out of the hospital. I meant…coming out on the helicopter…and the ship. Thanks for saving my life."

Brennan nodded her head as she looked down. She knew that she didn't need to say anything to that, because she knew Booth knew that she would travel to the ends of the earth for him. She slowly pulled out something from her pocket and gave it to Booth. "I got you this."

Booth took it and saw that it was his Cocky belt buckle. He smiled widely at her as he said, "Cocky! How'd you find that? That's hard to find."

Brennan told him, "I had it rushed delivered overnight. I know how much you like it." Booth leaned down and kissed her softly. After they broke apart, Brennan wrapped her arm around his and whispered, "I read through your report. It seems as if you would need 2 people to do most of what you did."

Booth told her honestly, "I had help. There was a ghost."

Brennan's brow furrowed as she said, "You were injured, drugged, disoriented, breathing bad air…There are no such things as ghosts."

Booth smiled down at her and said, "Whatever you have to tell yourself there, Bones."

Brennan didn't say anything for a few seconds and then asked softly, "Who's ghost?"

Booth pointed toward the headstone. "He's buried over there."

Brennan asked confused, "The ghost?"

Booth told her, "Corporal Edward Parker. He was slain while serving his country. He was 20. He was just a kid."

Brennan knew who he was talking about immediately. She tightened her hold on his arm as she told him, "Booth, it wasn't your fault he died."

Booth paused for a second in thought and the for the first time, he said, "No, it wasn't. Fortunes of war. It wasn't my fault." Brennan smiled at him, finally happy to see him realize that.

Booth pointed to a woman that was walking toward the headstone. "You see that woman over there? Her name is Claire. I have a message for her from Teddy."

Brennan watched as he started to walk away and asked confused, "What, a message from a ghost?"

Booth turned his head and said, "You wait here, okay?"

Brennan still asked confused, "But you're gonna deliver a message to that woman…from a ghost?"

From the distance, Brennan watched Booth approach Claire, talk to her and give her a hug. A man walked by her in full uniform and said to Brennan, "Beautiful day. Makes you feel glad to be alive, doesn't it?"

Brennan nodded her head in total agreement, "Yes, it does." She looked back to Booth who was waving and waved back. She was very happy they were both alive. Very happy indeed.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 – The Princess and the Pear**

Booth had driven them back home after his visit to Teddy's grave. Since the hospital would only release him in the evening – and Booth really didn't want to go into work anyways – they both decided to stay in for the rest of the day. Brennan had told Cam that she was going to work from her home on her latest book, while Booth didn't need an excuse. He had already been in the hospital for one night and that was enough for him. He was supposed to still be off work, but in their line of field that never really applied, so he was going to take what he could get.

Booth watched as Brennan paused in front of their door before sliding her key in and slowly opening it. He saw her take in a shaky breath before pushing forward and walked into their home. Booth kept a close eye on her as they went through their normal routine after a long day. They put their jackets in the closet, keys on the side table, his gun in the safe, her bag next to the side table, shoes got slipped off, and Brennan went to grab two beers. Booth slowly undid his tie and tossed both that and his suit jacket over the dining room chair. He then sank down with a heavy sigh on their couch. That's when Booth noticed that he didn't hear anything. He didn't hear his wife popping open the beers or her soft footfalls on their hardwood floor. Nothing.

He slowly got back up and quietly made his way to the kitchen. What he saw when he came into the kitchen broke him. Brennan was standing by the sink with two beer bottles in front of her, one was opened while the other was still unopened. And she was crying silently. Booth knew that this would happen. They hadn't really talked about his abduction, him almost dying. Not really at least. And now it was finally getting to her.

Booth slowly made his way up to her and gently cupped her shoulder with his hand. Brennan, hadn't expected that and she tensed slightly before relaxing into him. She turned around immediately and buried her face into his shoulders and he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his heart. He knew what she was going through. He knew how she felt. He had been those same shoes only two years ago. He also knew what she needed. Solid proof that he was there. He started to whisper softly the same words she had said to him, "You didn't lose me. I'm right here Bones. Right here with you. I'm right here babe."

Brennan tightened her grip on him, trying to get control of her emotions. She knew, rationally, that he was alive, but in her heart (yes, her heart) she couldn't help but think that she was having that damn dream again when she thought that he was really dead. She felt her husband nuzzle his neck in her neck and gently start to kiss her there. She sighed softly at the sensation of his lips against her skin, the tip of his tongue gently gliding along her shoulder. She shuddered with desire and longing as Brennan titled her head to the side, giving him more access. This was exactly what she needed.

Booth gently pressed her back against the counter of the sink as he worked his way toward her mouth. As soon as their lips touched, it was as if a fire was ignited between them. Brennan tangled her fingers through his short hair at the back of his head, pushing against him – trying to get them to either their room or couch. Booth willingly obliged as he started walking backwards while moving his hands to her waist, massaging her skin slowly. She felt so good. She was the one thing that was keeping him grounded at the moment. Because without her here, he probably would be sitting alone being terrified out of his mind to even sleep, let alone rest his eyes.

Before either of them knew it, Booth was sitting down on the couch with his pants and boxers discard and shirt unbuttoned with Brennan straddling him as she too was completely disrobed. Booth wrapped his fingers through her silky hair as he deepened their kiss and as she clutched his shoulders. That was when he felt her slowly lower herself down onto him. They both groaned, as she stayed like that for a few seconds, savoring the feeling of being joined in the most intimate way, truly becoming one (or at least trying). Brennan knew what she needed and she also knew what her husband needed. Not a good fast, hard fuck. But a slow, soul-searing love making. And that's exactly what they did that night. As the cooled beers grew lukewarm and as the sunset on the horizon. As Heather Taffet was finally locked in her prison cell, Brennan and Booth were doing the one thing that was as old as time. They made love. They showed each other through moans of pleasure, sighs of content, and searing kisses, how much they needed one another. And as they finally came down from their release of ecstasy, Booth laid down with his beautiful wife on top of him and drew the throw-blanket on top of them, gently gliding his fingers over her back as her soft, even breathing lulled him into a dreamless (and more importantly nightmare-less) sleep.

~BONES~

Brennan was woken up by the ringing of her cell phone. She at first tried to ignore it and cuddle deeper into the warmth that Booth was providing her as she lay on top of him. But after it started ringing the second time, she sighed in frustration and answered in a terse whisper, "Dr. Brennan."

She looked down as she listened to what was being told to her and watched her husband sleep peacefully. There were no worry lines or signs of what happened just two days ago. She whispered into the phone as the caller finished speaking, "I'll be there as soon as I can. And don't call Booth, I'll let him know myself. Thank you." She hung up the phone and gently disentangled herself from him. She would let him sleep for a little while more. She took a quick shower and slid into some comfortable clothing as she made her way back out into the living room. She knelt next to the couch and whispered, "Booth, you have to wake up. We have a case." He mumbled softly as he turned away from her, allowing her not to see him wince in pain at that movement. "Come on Booth. I know you want to sleep in, but they called me twenty minutes ago. I've given as much time as I could have." After a few seconds of silence, Brennan rolled her eyes and said, "I know you're awake, I'm going to make us a quick breakfast and then we have to go. Twenty minutes, Booth. That's all we have."

As she walked into the kitchen she heard him sigh in aggravation and get up. However after making breakfast and the twenty allotted minutes, Booth was still in the bathroom. Brennan walked up to the door, only to find it locked. He never locked the door. She started to knock on it and say, "Booth. Open up! Open up!"

Booth winced slightly as he turned a little too quickly at being shocked. He had been trying to get his pants on, with no success. "All right, all right, all right, I'm coming, it's... Just keep it down."

Brennan heard some shuffling and asked worriedly, "What's taking so long?" Perhaps the doctors had missed something.

Booth smiled cheerfully as he said, "Hey!"

Brennan instantly saw the strain lines next to his eyes, indicating that something was hurting. "What's wrong?"

Booth shook his head as he made his way out of the bathroom and toward the kitchen. "Nothing; come on in. How about some coffee? Arabian Bean!"

Brennan watched his stiff gait and asked worriedly, "You hurt your back again?"

Booth shook his head, wincing slightly, "No, no...no." He looked back to see a very worried looking Brennan and sighed, "It's that obvious, huh?"

Brennan nodded as she told him, "Your gait suggests you re-strained your anterior longitudinal ligament."

Booth sighed as he said, "Yeah, well, I blame the couch, all right? Look, I figured you fixed my back last time, really well, and I just thought that maybe you could fix it again, so use your little magic knuckles, and hit it up, and we're good to go."

Brennan didn't know about that. "Booth, if this has become a recurring problem, you should see a specialist."

Booth sighed again as he told her, "Right, I get it—all disclaimers apply. Here we go, hit the back—chop-chop-we got a case."

Brennan shook her head as the case completely left her mind and she only thought of Booth's welfare. "No!"

Booth turned around and said in disbelief, "What do you mean 'no'? Last time I had this, you were begging to help me."

Brennan now knew that that had been a mistake. "I probably shouldn't have touched you the last time. You need a medical doctor."

Booth looked at her pleadingly, "I'm not asking you to perform surgery; just do what you did last time and fix it with your magic knuckles... Look, there's no one I trust more to get my back and crack it than you."

Brennan smiled slightly at him. He still had it in him. That man could charm. "Wow."

Booth asked playfully with a smile, "You want more?"

Brennan laughed softly as she shook her head, "No, that was effective. Turn around. Okay, ready?"

Booth let her rotate him around as he said, "Okay. This is gonna be good. Believe me, I really am not going to forget…" But then something cracked that shouldn't have and he said in a hitch pitch voice in pain, "this."

~BONES~

Booth was in their apartment and Brennan was in her office on the phone with him. "So, what did your doctor say?"

Booth tried to remember what Dr. Patel had said, "Something about a possible herniation occurred on my disks L-3,L-4. Nothing, you know, a little rest, stretching... Hey, maybe a good massage will just kick it right out."

Brennan hadn't thought it would be that serious. She told Booth honestly, "Intervertebral disk degeneration shouldn't be taken lightly. Are you wearing your lumbo-sacral support belt?"

Booth chuckled softly as he said, "Yeah, the girdle, you mean. Yes, it's nice and tight babe. Oh, hold on." He then answered the second call after seeing that it was from the FBI, "Booth."

Perotta answered, "Hey, it's Perotta. How you doing? Uh, you need anything?"

Booth smiled slightly – still high from his drugs as he said, "No. I am just dandy."

Perotta started to say, "Well, if you do, um…" And then she remembered how Booth had been looking at his partner and changed the topic quickly, "Hey, we found the victim's father."

Brennan had been listening in and rolled her eyes internally at Booth's lack of technology skills. But that last statement intrigued her, "We did?"

Perotta asked confused, "Who's that?"

Booth answered, "It's Booth."

Perotta shook her head, "No, no, no, before it was you."

Brennan told Booth again, "Booth, you pressed 'conference' again."

Perotta asked confused, "Dr. Brennan?"

Booth shook his head as he said, "It's me Booth."

Brennan tried to talk to her, "Booth is on painkillers. Is the victim's father coming in?"

Booth said excitedly, "I want to be there."

Brennan firmly put her foot down at that though, "No, you can't. He can't"

Perotta rolled her own eyes, when would they just get together and get it over with. "Why?"

Booth interjected as he started to get up, "Yes, I can. What are you still doing on this call?"

Brennan explained, "No, Agent Perotta, his back is very bad. He can't be there. You can't let him in."

Booth was trying to stand up as he said, "Yes, I can. I am the ranking officer."

Brennan told him sternly, "But you are incapacitated by painkillers."

Booth knew that she could be protective, but honestly he felt fine (-ish). "Bones, enough, okay? I'm not incapacapitated, whatever you said there, all right? I just... Don't listen to her, Perotta. Don't." Perotta sighed. Honestly they acted as if they were a bickering married couple.

~BONES~

Brennan was in her office again – not having gone home the previous night since she really wanted to catch whoever did this to her and Sweets – with Booth on the phone telling her, "Okay, you know what? I'm coming in. All right? You could've been killed." He tried to put his holster on his sweats unsuccessfully.

Brennan had called him last night to tell him about the accident but had also told him that he shouldn't worry about her. She was fine and he was the one that was hurt. Which reminded her, "No, you shouldn't move, Booth. With a herniated disc, the splintered cartilage can irritate the nerves and..."

Booth leaned against a table as he told her through pain, "I'm fine."

Brennan was surprised by that to say the least. "So the-the pain is gone?"

Booth had put the phone on speaker and told her as he got down on his knees to walk (crawl?) toward the door, "Don't feel a thing. I might not be moving as fast, but, hey, still haven't lost my edge. So why wasn't Perotta with you?" He winced in pain after that.

Brennan looked up at Perotta and told her husband, "I was with Sweets."

Booth said in aggravation, "That's like being protected by a Smurf. Not the sheriff, the guy who was in charge. I don't even know his name, but he was blue, small guy..."

Brennan knew that distant voice he was getting. "Booth have you taken more Vicodin? Look, Booth, I'm fine. Sweets is fine. A little shaken up, but really, we're both fine. Please don't come in."

Booth tried to get up again and winced in pain as he came back down, "If you think so. But I'm ready."

Brennan told him, "That's amazing in your condition."

Booth squeaked out, "Well, you know me."

Brennan changed her tone of voice the slightest bit to a softer, loving tone as she said, "I really think you should just take your Vicodin and rest."

Booth couldn't say no to that voice. He took two more pills and said, "All right. Okay. Let me talk to Perotta."

Brennan nodded her head and said, "Alright." She then handed the phone to Perotta and said, "He wants to talk to you."

Perotta asked, "How are you, Agent Booth?"

Booth told her seriously, "The only reason that I'm not coming in right now is because Bones told me not to. But she is your responsibility. Nothing can happen to her, okay?" He then started to let his mind wander to what had made him sleep on the couch that night. "If anything happens to her, you know, that silky black hair and... that soft skin..."

Perotta raised her brows in shock and tried to suppress a smile as she said, "I will not let her out of my sight. You have my word. Now, uh, we should really get back to the case, Agent Booth."

Booth could feel the effects of the medicine already as he said, "Am I stopping you?"

Perotta hung up the phone and said to Brennan, "All right, I'm gonna go, uh, round up as many Black Knights as I can at ImagiCon. In the meantime, please don't go out in the field without me."

Brennan told her agitatedly, "I don't need a sitter. Booth gets needlessly protective sometimes. I have no idea why."

Perotta actually believed that too. "You really don't, do you?"

Brennan shook her head, "No."

Perotta nodded slowly before she said, "Just call me. Please." Yep, like a married couple, that's how they acted. Now if they'd only just get to that point.

~BONES~

Booth asked confused, "So he killed her because he loved her so much?"

Brennan told him, "The whole Age of Chivalry was irrational. Knights, maidens, and thank goodness we've moved through the Reformation and the enlightenment and into the age of reason. Do you see what I mean?"

Booth shook his head as he looked at the image, "Not at all. I gotta tell you, I think they had it pretty good idea with the whole chivalry thing, you know, open cart doors, kill dragons, small hearts…"

Brennan looked down at him and said, "You still on vicodin?"

Booth looked up at her and said, "Yeah, a little"

Brennan pointed back toward the x-ray and said, "Okay, what I'm trying to show you is that your doctor's wrong. You've been misdiagnosed."

Booth couldn't believe it. "What? Give me that!"

Brennan was happy to have finally looked at his x-rays and she told him happily, "Just a small misalignment. I'd be happy to fix it for you. "

Booth shook his head, "No, no, no. Last time you did that, I almost ended up in a wheel chair."

Brennan pouted slightly as she said, "Don't you trust me?"

Booth knew that he was going to let her do it, he just wasn't looking forward to what the outcome might be. "You know what? Let's not make it about trust!"

Brennan told him, "Well, it's a fact, it's not what I make of it. You ready?"

Booth stood up slowly as he got in front of her. "Oh, definitely not ready!" Brennan wrapped her arms around his neck again as someone knocked on the door. Booth was expecting Mama to come by with some food and had assumed it was her. "It's open!" Brennan was bent of Booth and going back up as his back cracked and Perotta came walking in. Booth felt immediate relief and said, "Whoa!"

Perotta didn't know what she had just walked in on, but it didn't look like it was something she should be seeing. "Oh! I didn't…I thought you said the door was open."

Brennan wondered how Perotta got their address, but then thought that she probably just looked at Booth's file. "It is open. I'm done. I'm just leaving."

Perotta shook her head. She wasn't about to mess whatever was happening up. "Oh! No, no, no. I just, um, brought some chilli I made, but, um, I'll just leave that there, and you can, um…" Booth had been looking at her strangely and she shook her head as she finished, "are you all right?"

Brennan smiled at her as she said, "Yeah, he's fine now!"

Booth said honestly, "I gotta tell you, I'm a little afraid to move."

Brennan patted his back as she offered, "He's fine. Please, you stay." She was heading out to get their dinner from Mama, since she didn't want the woman to come all the way to them.

Perotta shook her head again, "Oh. I can't. You stay."

Brennan told her confused, "I gotta go. I can't stay."

Booth watched in confusion as his wife left and then Perotta (although not so much confusion on that part) as he called out, "Wait, now nobody's staying?" He then heard the door slam shut, "Hello?"

However after only a few seconds, the door reopened and Brennan hurried back in and grabbed her phone of their coffee table next to Booth and smiled at him. "I don't want Mama to drive all the way out here, so I'm going to pick up the food. I'm getting you extra soup as well and spring rolls since you always eat mine." She kissed him softly on the lips before heading back toward the door, calling over her shoulder, "I'll be back in twenty minutes!"


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Hart is the wonderful man that started this whole thing. Not me.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15 – The Bones that Foam**

Booth and Brennan arrived at the scene where a cop waited on them – a very young cop. Booth looked around at the scene and joked, "Well, my guess is that this is going to put a crimp in their wedding night."

Brennan looked at him confused, "Why?"

Booth snorted slightly, "Oh, come on, I mean coming face-to-face with death like that, kind of kills the desire don't you think?"

Brennan shook her head as she pointed out, "We work with remains every day but we are perfectly capable of engaging in spirited...

Booth sighed internally. She could be so aggravating sometimes. "Okay. Okay. Okay, Bones, I get it. I'm just saying, you know what? You have to be kind of crazy to bungee jump. Watch yourself." Booth tried to help her over a slippery portion of some rocks.

But Brennan batted his hands away and said, "I got it. It's perfectly safe."

Booth definitely snorted at that as they walked up to the scene. "Tell that to Captain Splat over here, huh?"

The cop finally getting up the nerve to speak to the best investigators in D.C., walked up to them and said, "First bungee accident I ever saw."

Booth shot the kid a look and said honestly – perhaps a little too harshly, "Probably because you're ten."

Brennan could immediately tell something, "This was no bungee accident. The victim is fairly well-dressed; tie, sport coat. "

Booth repeated for his sake of trying to understand this, "Definitely not bungee attire."

Brennan pointed something else out, "And this compound tibial fracture- if he was still alive when he fell, the bone should have bled."

The cop moved forward a little and asked, "Meaning...?"

Brennan looked up from her crouched position and said matter-of-factly, "Meaning someone threw him off the cliff after he was already dead."

Booth started to get what she was saying as some theories came to mind. He explained to the kid, "Yeah, suspicious circumstances, foul play, dirty deeds, I think you get the point." Booth then watched as Brennan stood up and said, "Okay, let's get it back to Jeffersonian, Bones. Right?"

They were about to high-five when Brennan realized quickly and stopped. "Oh. Gloves."

Booth stopped just as quickly and said, "Right. Wrap that up, kid."

~BONES~

Booth still couldn't believe what Brennan had told him as they arrived at Jungle Jim's. "I thought the guy was dead."

Brennan told him, "He is dead, but his skin was moving."

Booth stopped a second as he was getting out of his car and said, "Wait a second. Moving skin on a dead guy?"

Brennan nodded her head as she told him, "Yes. Then he started foaming."

This just kept getting even weirder. "Wait a second. Foaming? Okay, what would cause that? Too much beer? Or maybe he ate soap?

Brennan shook her head and laughed a little as she told him, "You should stop using cartoons as a scientific reference point."

Booth however was already looking at all the cars around them. He hadn't fixed up a car in ages. He missed that. He looked around and said excitedly, "Okay, you know the guy who owns this place, he has a monkey."

Brennan looked at him oddly while she said, "Does he feel that a monkey will inspire me to buy a car?"

Booth sighed as he tried to explain, "Bones, it's marketing, okay. Look, hey, 'We don't sell cars...'"

One of the salespersons jumped out and said enthusiastically, "'We sell adventure!' So, what can the Mighty Mo put you in today? Mmm, you look like a sporty two-door man."

Brennan noticed the way the woman was looking at Booth and took a step closer to him – almost like marking her territory – and said tersely, "Actually, we have a very nice car."

Maureen looked behind them to where Brennan pointed and nodded in agreement, "Ooh, I'll say. That Sequoia's a honey."

Booth smiled at his SUV. He loved that car. "Yeah, tell me about it."

Maureen still didn't stop though. "Roomy enough, you could have a Super Bowl party back there. What is that, GPS, side air bags."

Brennan was starting to get annoyed at this woman. "We're looking for..."

Maureen kept going at it. "Such great gas mileage for, you know, a can-do machine. Are you looking to trade in?"

Brennan huffed in annoyance and tried one more time, "No, we're looking for..."

Maureen was still looking at Booth though as she said, "Because I can offer you a sweet deal from the heart of the jungle." She then roared and that was the last straw for Brennan.

Brennan told her very bluntly and tersely, "We're here to see Chet Newcomb."

Maureen leaned forward – a little too much toward Booth for Brennan's taste – and said, "Okay. Between us, as much as we all love Chet, as Bwana of the Month, I'm really in a better position to offer you a deal. So..."

Booth could see his wife's clenched jaw and her aggravation at the saleswoman. He thought he'd save the girl before she knew what she was getting herself into. "Right. And that'd be just great, Mighty Mo, if we were here to buy a car, but we're not. You know, FBI." He then showed her his badge.

Maureen took a step back and pointed to her right, "Well, he's back there."

Booth could see her disappointment at losing a customer and tried to cheer her up by roaring back at her slightly, Thank you." He turned around to find Brennan staring at him evenly, "What? She roared me first."

Brennan sniffed slightly while she said, "Doesn't mean you have to roar her back." Booth couldn't help but suppress a smile as she turned around and started walking away from him. Jealous Bones always turned him on.

~BONES~

Booth hated that his wife was with him in a strip club. Honestly, he hadn't been to one in a very long time – since his days in the Rangers – but this was just going to be hell, he knew it. "Hey, Bones, look, this is the only strip club in proximity to Alex's home and work, all right. You know what; you didn't have to come inside with me."

Brennan shook her head as she told him, "No, I look forward to observing your behavior."

Booth looked at her in shock and confusion, "My what?"

Brennan explained, "Sweets says you're manipulative. Like a salesman. I want to study your technique."

Booth couldn't believe that kid! "My technique? Wait, I'm gonna smack that guy."

Brennan placed a placating hand on his arm as she elaborated, "You put people at ease, get them to do your bidding. It's a very useful skill. One I wish my father had passed on to me."

Booth processed what she said for a second and then said sighed in defeat as he told her, "Alright, look, your father is a con man, I am not a con man. Let us just remember that. Okay, just watch. Don't say anything. Excuse me, ladies, uh, if I may, um, which one of you likes to use this stuff?"

Brennan informed them, "It's strawberry Lust Dust."

One of the women stood up and said, "Well, that would be me. Strawberry Lust."

Booth stepped forward and joked slightly, "Right. Strawberry Lust. The one and only. I'm sure you thought long and hard about that stage name, right? "

Brennan told Strawberry Lust, "We'd like to speak with you in private."

Booth's eyes widened a little at what could be a double meaning and quickly said, "No, not in private. I could just ask you a few questions here. All right, Bones, you know what? It's a little weird that you're here watching. Why don't you just go outside..."

Strawberry Lust laughed a little as she guided him to a chair, "It's not weird, baby. Lots of people like to watch."

Brennan smiled in satisfaction, not fully understanding why Booth didn't want her to watch him this time, "Oh, thank you. I get tremendous satisfaction out of observing a whole variety of activities."

Booth choked out after hearing his wife say that, "I'd just like to ask you a couple questions."

Strawberry Lust smiled at Brennan as she joked, "Your boyfriend's shy, isn't he? Sweet. That'll be 60 bucks."

Brennan fished out the money and said, "Okay, I got that."

Booth looked at her with pleading eyes to just stop as he said, "Bones?"

Brennan handed her the money, "Here you go."

Strawberry Lust stuck the 60 bucks in her bra and turned to Booth, "Thanks. Hey, relax. She's going to be enjoying this, too."

Booth was about to explain everything when she leaned over and basically forced his face into her breast. "Right, just... Whoa, all right."

Strawberry Lust laughed a little as she started to sway her hips, starting her lap dance, "Not so interested in talking now, are you, baby?"

Brennan had sat down and observed with keen interest, "You have excellent control of your hips."

Strawberry Lust smiled at her as she said, "So I've been told."

Booth snapped out of it as he realized what he was doing and reached for his badge, "Wh... Um, Miss Lust, um, Miss Lust, actually, I'm with the, uh, FBI. I need to ask you, um... few question about maybe a client?"

Strawberry Lust continued to dance as she said, "FBI? I'm a criminal science major at Georgetown."

Booth laughed slightly at that and asked, "Yeah, and yet, here you are, right? Working off student loans?"

Strawberry Lust nodded as she told him, "You know it. School's a fortune."

Brennan stated, "Well, I think you will pay off your loans very quickly."

Booth shot his wife a look and said, "Bones?"

Brennan shrugged her shoulders as she stated, "She's quite arousing, which I imagine translates into excellent tips."

Booth sighed and tried to get on track and not pay attention to what conversation they were having. "All right, uh, Miss Lust, um, Alex Newcomb, um, Criterion Cars, uh, salesman. Uh, maybe a client of yours?"

Strawberry Lust nodded her head as she thought about it, "Yeah, sure, regular. What about him?"

Booth told her, "Well, we have evidence that you, um, gave him a lap dance on the night that he died."

Strawberry Lust stopped dancing and sat down in his lap, "Died? Whoa. Murdered?"

Booth looked at her uncomfortably as he said, "Can you just answer the, uh..."

Strawberry Lust nodded her head as she said eagerly, "Right, cooperate fully. I aced my freshman criminology class. Um, I gave him a couple of dances Thursday night. He was pretty drunk. Started a fight and Billy had to kick him out. Wait... wait a minute. Am I a suspect? Because all I do is gyrate and that never killed anyone."

Booth asked, "Uh, did he get into a fight with one of the bouncers?"

Strawberry Lust shook her head as she answered, "No, with another car salesman. You know, the Indian guy? Buddy."

Booth looked Brennan as he said in disbelief, "From Criterion."

Brennan started to stand up as she said, "He lied to you. You should go talk to Buddy."

Booth hated to admit it but he was affected by Strawberry Lust's 'performance'. "Yes, I-I should."

Brennan looked down at him as she said, "Then tell Miss Lust to get up."

Strawberry Lust laughed a little as she leaned in and said, "I think that might be a little embarrassing right now, huh, baby?"

Booth told her in a strangled voice, "That's my gun." Seeing that this wasn't going to end well he asked Bones, "Give us a minute?"

Brennan nodded her head and sat down. She knew what the lap dance had done for him. She herself had seen Booth's reaction. There was no shame in it. Brennan found it highly amusing to see how comfortable it made her husband though. "Okay."

Booth told her, "Outside."

Brennan acted innocent and asked confused, "What's outside?"

Booth asked her again, "Can you go outside, please?"

Brennan was very close to laughing as she asked Miss Lust, "Wh... Did we get our 60 dollar's worth yet?" Strawberry Lust laughed as she shook her head. Brennan smiled a little as she said, "Hmmm, may I? You can keep the rest of the money."

She pointed to where Miss Lust was seated and Strawberry Lust smiled knowing at her before she said happily, "Sure, sugar. Knock your socks off."

Booth watched in mild horror and trepidation as his wife took over where Miss Lust left off. He watched as she slowly slid her jacket off and then her blouse – unbuttoning each button very slowly as she said, "Mmmmm, it's getting a little hot in here, don't you think Booth?"

He couldn't agree more. His mouth went dry as he pants got tighter, licking his bottom lip unknowingly. "Bones, babe, what are you doing?"

Brennan did a little shimmy to get closer to him, rubbing her ass against his enlarged member as she whispered sexily, "Finishing what Miss Lust started." She then began to nibble gently on his earlobe as she quickly switched positions so she was straddling him. She whispered again, "I am, in fact, a very fast learner." At that she slowly slid forward and upward, allowing her breast to land directly in front of her husband's face.

Booth could hear in the background some of the girls of the club shout their encouragement, but all he could think of was that his wife's breast were pushed in his face and he was painfully hard. "Oh god, Bones, you're killing me here."

She threaded her fingers through his short hairs and looked down at him, "And what are going to do about it, huh, babe?"

Brennan of course, hadn't been expecting him to do anything. Because they were on the job and in the middle of a case at that. So it caught her by complete surprise when he grabbed hold of her thighs tightly as he stood up. She immediately wrapped her legs around him – her ass still rubbing against his manhood. She shouted out half in surprise the other half joy as he carried her away from everyone. She could here Strawberry Lust whistling and shouting her good luck – on the case or what they were about to do she didn't know.

Booth somehow found his way into a single stall bathroom (which in retrospect was very clean for a strip club), slammed the door shut and locked it behind them as he pushed her up against the door and growled in her ear, "I'll show you what I'll do."

And boy, oh boy, did he show her.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were at the bar about to leave trying to figure out the bill, "Just give me a ten."

Brennan pointed out, "But you had most of the potatoes."

Booth sighed as he said, "Okay, then you have that, okay? All right." Booth saw that she wasn't getting up though and asked concerned, "Bones, you ready?"

Brennan said softly, "You haven't said anything about my interrogation."

Booth sighed as he sat back down next to her and said, "Okay, you know what? You did great, okay, better than I thought."

Brennan laughed softly as she rolled her eyes. She appreciated what he was doing though. "I was terrible. Everybody's right. I lack empathy."

Booth could see that this was really getting to her. He scooted forward so the back of his leg brushed against her back and he gently laid his and on her thigh as he tried to get her to look at him. "You got empathy. You're awkward. That's different."

Brennan shook her head as she said, "My stuff is bones, yours is people."

Booth couldn't help the small smile that came on his face as he said, "Right. So you're admitting that I'm better at something than you are?"

Brennan started to protest, "No..." But she realized that he was right. "Yes. A lot better."

Booth leaned forward and whispered, "Thanks, Bones." He kissed her softly on the lips before he said, "Hey. Can we go now?"

Brennan nodded her head, "Yes."

Booth clapped his hands excitedly as he said, "Yes, wait till you see what's outside." They go outside and Brennan saw the car she knew Booth loved at the car dealership. "So... what do you think? Right, huh? Buddy let me borrow it."

Brennan asked excitedly, "Can I drive it?"

Booth knew that she had no clue how to drive a stick. "Oh, no, no, wait a second. This is a very powerful machine."

Brennan almost pouted as she said, "Well, I can handle it."

Booth debated it for a second before he went for the keys, "Okay, look, once around the block." She went for the keys and Booth was still having a hard time giving them to her, "Uh, maybe. Okay." She went for them one more time and he couldn't help but tell her, "Hey, driving a machine like this is like making love. You have to go gently."

Brennan gave him a look as she remembered what they did the day prior at the strip club as she stepped forward – pushing him up against the car as she slid her hand down his arm, "I go more for passionate and uninhibited rather than gentle."

Booth felt her take the keys from his hands as he told her one more time, "Bones, gently." Brennan nodded her head slowly as she took as step back. He started to walk around the car, making sure no one was watching them as he told her, "Go ahead. Gentle, Bones, gentle." As he heard her start the car, he knew already that it was going to be a bad idea, "Bones, easy on the gas. Easy." She then took off right away and he heard a horrible crunching sound, "Whoa, stop! Brakes..."

The car stopped and turned off as she said confused, "The car broke."

Booth looked at her and said, "Okay, let me drive."

Brennan shook her head as she said, "No."

Booth said in aggravation, "Okay, fine, you know what? Just do it without me, okay?"

Brennan grabbed his arm as he got out, stopping him. "Wait, no. It's no fun by myself. At least help me get into first gear."

Booth laughed at that he said, "First gear? You're a scientist. You can figure it out, right?"

Brennan shouted back, "I'm a scientist, not a mechanic."

They were both oblivious to the other cars honking their horns as they leaned closer to each other in the car and Booth said in aggravation, "A mechanic? What did I say? Drive it gently, but no, you don't listen to me. I'm done, forget it."

Brennan then grabbed him by his lapels and kissed him heatedly. Which Booth returned right away as he knew what that argument had done to both of them. This happened sometimes, they'd be arguing over something stupid and then five minutes later they would be having wild angry sex. So that is how Brennan ended up in his lap ten seconds later, with them making out and Brennan gyrating against his already aroused state. They were taken out of their moment though when the cab in front of them slammed down on his horn and yelled for them to get a room. Brennan leaned her head against his panting heavily as she said, "Booth, get us home. Now." She then pressed down on his manhood one more time for emphasis.

Booth moaned loudly before he slid over to the driver's seat. He restarted the car and neatly brought them back to the right side of the road. They were at a red light though not twenty seconds later, when his very passionate wife couldn't take it anymore and climbed back into his lap, straddling him. She started to kiss up his neck as she started to move on top of him. The light turned green and Booth said hoarsely, "Babe, the lights green."

Brennan murmured against his neck, "Then drive."

He knew it was a bad idea. Against the law. And a whole slew of other things. But at that moment he didn't care. She felt too good and they were only five minutes away from their house. He was definitely going to thank Buddy for letting him borrow that car.

~BONES~

As they laid side by side on their bed, panting heavily, Booth wondered again how the hell he made it back without crashing the damn car. He looked over at his wife and she looked at him. She started to laugh at their behavior and he joined her as he rolled on top of her again, already for the next round.

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 **A/N2: I couldn't help but change that last scene ;)**


	17. Chapter 16

**Two updates in one day must be your lucky day.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16 – The Salt in the Wounds**

Brennan was in the truck with the body as Booth climbed up. "So, the weather's been warm for the past six weeks, wow, so they haven't had to use rock salt."

Brennan told him, "The dermis is extremely desiccated, the salt quick-dried the tissues."

Booth grimaced slightly at the sight. "Looks like a really big Apple doll."

Brennan told him sadly, "Teenage girl. Very tall, six feet."

Booth hated cases like these. It always got real complicated. "Looks like she's been dead for about a hundred years."

Brennan shook her head as she informed him, "No, in fact less than a month. Salt is hygroscopic. It draws moisture from its surroundings and replaces it with crystals."

Booth knew it was bad to say but couldn't help it as he told his wife, "You know what? I suddenly got a potato chip craving."

~BONES~

Booth walked into the weight room and found Clinton putting small weight plates onto the bar. "Clinton?"

Clinton looked up and said, "What?"

Booth continued to walk over to him as he said, "Alyssa Howland says that you had sex with the entire volleyball team."

Clinton smiled slightly as he got read to lift some weights, "The girls' volleyball team, and not all of them. I don't like to boast. A gentleman does not kiss and tell."

Booth watched the boy as he lifted weights, trying to decide whether a lecture was needed or for him just to focus on the case. "How old are you?"

Clinton told him in a strained voice, "Sixteen. My personality is completely formed."

Booth still couldn't believe that this boy was the father of four babies. "How'd you get those four girls pregnant?"

Clinton got up off the bench and joked, "You want pictures? Check the Internet, that's what I did."

Booth started adding heavier weights to the bar and eventual lied down to lift them as he told the boy, "Right. You know, I show no disrespect. I went to high school, and high school has not changed. The fact is, from what I remember, guys like you can't get that many girls. You know what I'm saying?"

Clinton watched in trepidation as he said, "Wait, you can't lift that." Booth grunted softly as he lifted the weights up, but then fell into a smooth rhythm of lifts. Clinton for his part, couldn't believe it. "Wow."

Booth placed the weights back down and then sat up as he said to the kid, "Alright, see, the point is, I can do that, but I didn't get girls like that in high school. So, what you're saying happened really didn't happen, huh?"

Clinton leaned in a little as he whispered, "Like a conspiracy. The conspiracy is that they like me. I'll tell you something else. More than one of them told me that I'm actually very considerate and sweet in the bed department."

Booth had had enough. This kid either was being used and didn't know it or he was playing Booth, and Booth didn't like being played. Booth got up and told him sternly, "Ashley is dead. She was murdered. The prime suspect would be the person who knocked her up. I need to know the person who did that deed."

Clinton nearly squeaked out, "It was me. The sex deed-part! The killing part was definitely somebody else."

Booth said in frustration, "You know what I think? I think those girls are up to something, and they're using you as a cover. It's okay. We'll just do a DNA test, and the truth will come out. Alright?"

Booth started to walk towards to exit as Clinton screamed at him, "Take my DNA, and you'll find out the truth! I am the MacDaddy Supremo Baby Daddy of G.O.W. High School!"

Booth shook his head as he left the weight room. This case was just frustrating him beyond belief. He was ambushed though by his wife before he even got two steps out the door. She wrapped her hands around his neck a kissed him roughly and pushed him against the wall. "Bones!"

Brennan knew what she was doing was wrong and irrational, but seeing her husband lift weights like that. She whispered as much, "Watching you lift those weights really turned me on Booth. I think we need to do something about that."

Booth looked around with wide eyes as he whispered back, "We're in a high school Bones! We're going to get caught."

Brennan smiled saucily up at him as she said, "Not in the janitor's closet." Which is when Booth noticed that they were standing right next to it. He groaned softly before giving in and bringing her against his body. He guided them to the closet before slamming the door shut and pinning her against the nearest (clear) wall. And as some students walked by, hearing laughter and then moans, they rolled their eyes thinking that it was just another day in high school.

~BONES~

Brennan set her fork down as she listened to Angela talk about Hodgins. She wanted to help her friend and she thought this might do it. "I am comfortable giving you advice in this area."

Angela smiled at her and said, "Shoot."

Brennan began with, " I think you live your life very well."

Angela's smile widened, "Thank you."

Brennan nodded her head as she continued, "You are not afraid to change your mind when conditions change."

Angela agreed with that, "Conditions always change."

Brennan went on, "The successful organism is the organism that adapts. This is one area where we are very similar."

Angela looked at her confused now, "I was with you until there."

Brennan told her truthfully, "Like I was, you are not swept away by your emotions. You remain rational. You use your brain to pick someone for sex and companionship."

Angela – being so focused on what Brennan was saying about using her brain – missed the past tense version Brennan used as she told her, "Uh, a minor correction there: I use my heart."

Brennan shook her head, "That is not…"

Angela smiled softly at her as she said, "Metaphoric heart, sweetie. Stay with me here, right? Love, like art, comes from the moments where two people become one."

Brennan corrected slightly, "Minor correction: Love comes from a confluence of chemicals and hormones in the pineal gland and…"

Angela cut her off – thinking that she was about to go into a scientific/anthropological rant – as she said, "Right. But all beauty is transient and of the moment."

Brennan considered that for a moment before she said, "Like a sunset is beautiful."

Angela sat back a little and said worriedly, "You know, it sounds like we are in agreement, which is worrying me just a little bit."

Brennan was about to continue on with her speech about how thinking like that will not in the end bring you lasting happiness. However she received at that moment a text from Hodgins. "Hodgins says he found pectin in the scratches he swabbed on the victim's arm."

Angela asked confused, "How did he find scratches? The victim looked like beef jerky."

Brennan begrudgingly stated, "Well, apparently Cam had some limited success in rehydrating the body."

Angela had to give props where it was due. "That's impressive."

Brennan nodded distractedly as she said, "Yes. Pectin is used in making preserves, right?"

Angela joked, "Sure, I remember that from growing up a farm girl in Amish country." At Brennan's odd look, Angela laughed and explained, "Sarcasm, Brennan. I'm sorry."

Brennan got up to leave as she told her, "The victim and her mother were making jam the afternoon before she disappeared."

Angela felt it best to add to their previous conversation though – for her own minds sake, "Have you ever noticed that a sunset looks more beautiful when you share it with somebody that you care about?"

Brennan thought about it for a few seconds before shaking her head. "No. I haven't. But I'll pay better attention next time." Perhaps she would ask Booth to do that with her after the case was closed.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were sitting by the bar at the Founding Fathers as Booth said, "Ashley needed $5,000 to leave home and raise her baby, so she tries to blackmail her coach."

Brennan shook her head as she added, "But it didn't work, because he'd never had sex with her."

Booth nodded, "Right, so she has to go and seduce the chiropractor and threatens him with statutory rape if he doesn't pay up."

Brennan said in disgust, "And he killed her."

Booth shook his head this time as he said, "Horrible. Wow."

Brennan asked him curiously, "So, are the rest of the girls still renting a house together?"

Booth still didn't understand that part though. "Right. You know what I don't get? How is it that eight beautiful girls could just give up their whole lives during high school?"

Brennan told him honestly, "It's a rational decision."

Booth looked at her in shock. "On what planet?"

Brennan looked at him confused before saying, "Earth!"

Booth laughed softly as he repeated her, "Earth?"

Brennan went on to explain, "Given the current environment, the paradigm within which a group of girls band together to raise their offspring has merit."

Booth asked, "Without their fathers?"

Brennan told him the sad truth, "Anthropologically speaking, those girls have grown up in a culture that reinforces the sad truism that women cannot count on men."

Booth knew she was right but that didn't change that he was outraged that women thought so low of men now. "Don't say 'men' like that. Men do not like a world without responsibility."

Brennan pointed out, "Well, that boy whom these young girls chose as their sperm donor, he seemed more than happy with the arrangement." Booth looked at his wife and knew what he needed to do. As he grabbed his phone out of his pocket, Brennan asked confused, "Booth?"

Booth told her, "You're right."

Brennan nodded her head as she ate a pretzel. "I know. Who are you calling?"

Booth spoke into the phone as he said, "Clinton, listen, it's Agent Booth, I need to talk to you."

Brennan was extremely confused now. "The kid?"

Booth nodded his head as he continued to speak, "Listen, meet me at the Royal Diner, uh, in 20 minutes. Yeah, just get there, okay? Thanks. I'm buying." Booth hung up the phone and looked at Bones and said apologetically, "Look, I know you want to come along and all, but…"

Brennan smiled softly at him as she finally got what he was doing. She placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed it lovingly, "No, I get it. Go on, it's a... guy-to-guy-thing."

Booth smiled at her before he leaned in a kissed her quickly and said, "Thanks."

~BONES~

Brennan walked by the Royal Diner as she was heading home and looked at Booth and Clinton talking. Her heart swelled immensely with love and affection for her husband as she smiled thinking of what he was doing. She only hoped one day that Angela would find what she had with Booth.

* * *

 **Don't know when that update will come though... No promises.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hey guys I know it's been a while and I appreciate all of the people who supported me during my writer's block, and I'll like to say thank you for your support and I'll back to writing shortly after this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 - The Doctor in the Den**

Booth and Brennan were in the backseats of the moving vehicle "I was here last weekend with Parker you should come with us. They got monkeys swinging free - right over there" Booth says he points. "Do you think we have time?"

"Booth, we're here to recover a set of remains," she says "Come on, Bones. You gotta take time to smell the primates." "Why? They are malodorous and they throw their excrement."

Booth and Brennan approach the remains "Who wanders around in an animal park?" "Someone with extremely poor judgment."

"Ha, guess no one told this guy it's not a petting zoo."

Brennan gives him a look "Nevermind"

"Flesh has been gnawed and baked in the sun. But the nasal root suggests a black six feet tall."

"According to, uh, Parker's big book of animals, they can pounce at 35 miles an hour and leap 30 feet." "The tiger fed on the flesh and internal organs before he started cleaning the bones."

"You know, I'm thinking the victim wandered away from his car, he was drunk, and he ended up in this same thing happened to a guy last year in the giraffe section."

Brennan looks at Booth with confusion "Giraffes are herbivores. They don't eat people."

"That part is different. The guy broke his arm." he smiled at himself when he said, "Did you know that giraffes can weigh up to two tons?"

"Yes, everyone knows that." Brennan interrupts

"And they sleep less than two hours a day."

"That I did not know," Brennan says impressed but not doubting her husband's intelligence

"Yes, Pinky stumps the Brain."

"Well, I have no way of determining the cause of death out here." she pauses looking at Booth "So we should pack everything up and bring it back to the lab."

"Pack it up!"

~BONES~

Brennan enters autopsy room "I found nodules of ossified cartilage on Welton's thumbs between the metacarpals and carpals. He was suffering from synovial chondromatosis."

"He was in pain. That would explain the opiates. I also found ibuprofen, which he would've taken to reduce the inflammation."

"The bony growths in his wrists would have caused him pain and severely restricted his mobility. It would have been very dangerous for him to perform surgery in his condition."

"Well, he wouldn't have done it. Not Andrew." Cam says sympathizing

"You can't know that. People change in ten years." She says knowingly

"Not someone's nature."

"We're scientists. We can't quantify or rely on our emotions. They're arbitrary and indeterminate." Knowing that an understatement

"We know people through our feelings, Dr. Brennan. You trust Booth because of what you feel."

"Yes, but I also trust Booth because of past actions."

"And faith in the future. I'm sorry, but feelings are important. Even to you."

~BONES~

Brennan, Angela, and Cam are in the lounge "So what did Michelle say to you?" Angela says

"She said, uh, that I wasn't good enough for her father and that was why he saw other women," Cam says to Angela

Brennan had a look of surprise "Welton cheated on you?"

"That's why I left."

"Did that bother you?"

"Sweetie, how many times do I have to tell you that most people don't like to be cheated on?" Knowing Brennan knows but she doesn't say anything

"The only people who don't mind have just given up."

Angela jumping in "Or are very, very rational and above those archaic notions of monogamy".

"Right, yes, of course. I'm not quite evolved enough."

"Excuse me, this is not my area of expertise, but if Welton cheated on you, he may have been cheating on other women."

"Probably was. The only person he ever was faithful to was Michelle."

"Well, there you go. He was playing the field and somebody probably nuked him for it."

"Well, how do you know?"

"Because. Despite the fact that I would love to have my legs wrapped around one right now, men are awful."

Hodgins walks in interrupting them "Hey."

Cam, Angela and Brennan glare at him "Whoa. What'd I do?"

"You're a man," Cam says

"I have information," Hodgins says holding his hands up in surrender

They sigh then Brennan says "Go ahead."

"The ureic acid on the victim's clothing, it's feline, but it's not tiger pee. Sediment composition and pH level suggest that it was from a lion."

"Are you aware that lionesses do all the hunting?" Cam questions

"Yes, the males simply copulate and eat what the females catch." Brennan answers

"And when they get cranky, they eat the cubs. Mm-hmm, men." Angela finishes

"Wow. Before I flee for my life, the particles I found in the wounds around the femoral artery, the ones I thought might be mica? They're scales.'

"Hmm, fish?" Brennan says thinking out loud

"No, Snake. I can maybe have a species by tomorrow."

"Hey. Wanna you stay and have a drink?" Angela invites

Cam snaps her fingers at Angela "Oh. Yeah. We hate men."

"I'm going to go...now."

"He does have a terrific ass." Angela admires

"Perhaps, that's why you're always making him leave." Brennan jokes

~BONES~

Cam sits at the table in the upstairs lounge with a salt/pepper shaker

"Hodgins found another way to track the killer. Angela is going through all the digital photos from the benefit now. Do you want to hear the details?"

"Not right now if you don't mind."

Seeing the figurine "What's this?"

"When I left Michelle 10 years ago, I knew Andrew wouldn't say what needed to be said so..."

"You did it."

"No. I didn't know what to say. She was so little and I loved her so much. And I haven't had a child of my own, but I find it impossible to believe anyone...anyone could love a child more. But I had no place in her life anymore so, I had to..."

"You had to leave room in case Andrew found someone else who might help raise Michelle."

"I had this old salt and pepper set my grandmother gave me before she died. Fits together. I kept this one and I gave Michelle the other half. And I told her that whenever she looked at it she should know that at that exact moment, I'd be thinking of her and loving her."

"That is not strictly..."

"I know, Dr. Brennan. But I swear sometimes I looked at my half and I knew that little girl was missing me."

"Perhaps you should take her in now."

"What?"

"She's an orphan. She's alone in the world. She needs a parent." She says mostly expressing her feelings.

"Michelle stopped loving me years ago."

"But you never stopped loving her. She'll know that." Brennan says knowing what it felt like "The Mohawk Indians have a saying that when a child falls in the rapids, the one who rescues her will share in her new life forever. I assume that doesn't only apply to a potential drowning victim. I have to go help Angela find a snake." Brennan gets up and leaves the room.

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were walking hand in hand "You know that adopting is a good thing"

"Yeah I know"

"Then why do look so sad"

"It's just that Michelle has someone who loves her enough to take her in"

"Bones, you know your family loved you"

"Then why did my parents leave, why did Russ leave?"

"I know that they loved you and they left to keep you and your brother safe from harm, so don't beat yourself over it, okay," Booth said wrapping his arms around her.

"Okay" Brennan snuggles into his arms as they continue walking towards their apartment.

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 **Review my sweet children review. I know it's a while and I'm sorry but I'll try to post more now that I started. If you guys have any questions or concerns with this story just review or PM me.**


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey, I told you guys I'll be back. I turned over a new leaf and this summer we're going for a ride in S5 and S6, and that baby in S5 is already taken care of. I have a world of ideas for that episode and I hope you guys like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Bones no matter what I write**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 - The Science in the Physicist**

Brennan kneels down to examine the remains. Booth stands behind "Okay, so what's it look like to you?"

"An ear," she says seriously

"Did you just make a joke?"

"No."

"Cause that wouldn't be like you."

Shaking her head "I didn't. It looks like an ear."

"What do you make of the stuff in the blue bag then?"

"It looks like chili con carne."

"Could this be the rest of the person who lost the ear?"

"I don't know. It looks like chili con carne. There's no single piece here bigger than the skull of an Australopithecus."

"Sports terms, Bones. Remember we talked about this."

"Oh um..." she demonstrates the size with her hands

"Ah, softball. Good, you're getting better. Size of a softball."

"At first guess, the total mass in this garbage bag does not add up to an entire human being."

"Right. I'll just get forensics to scour the entire lot."

"Yes."

Booth leans down and whispers "Hey, would you even want to guess what happened to this human being?"

"No."

"I knew you'd say that. I just have to ask." stands straight and yells "Alright, let's scour it up."

~BONES~

Angela and Brennan are eating and drinking coffee at the royal diner.

"Celibacy is a lot like fasting."

"So you've become sexually anorexic?"

"At first you're out of sorts and agitated and then you sort of push through to a kind of clarity."

"Have you reached clarity?"

"No. I'm still at the agitated and horny stage."

"Why are you fasting sexually?"

"Sweets thinks it will do me good to put sex on the back burner in order to relate to people in other..." she trails off and looks out the window and sees her father standing in the street.

"Why are you listening to Sweets?"

Still looking outside in shock. She turns back to Brennan "Um..." she turns to look back outside and her father is gone

"Angela", I asked, "Why are you listening to Sweets?"

"Sweetie, can you pay for this? I have to go."

"Sure, why?

"I have to save Hodgins' life." She pauses then walks out. Brennan looks confused

~BONES~

Booth is standing around as Brennan walks towards him from the experiment room "So you find out where the meteor came from?"

"From the solar nebula."

"Alright. Anything more current than that?"

Inside the experiment room "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

Booth and Brennan both turn to look when an explosion goes off in the room shaking the walls. Booth throws Brennan against the wall in an effort to protect her.

"What the hell was that?" he says checking his wife for any injuries

"I don't know," she says looking into his eyes. Before they knew it they were kissing.

Things were getting heated but they interrupted Hodgins and Vincent walking out of the room coughing and trying to clear the smoke "We're okay. Everything's fine," Cam walks up to them

"We should get out of here before lockdown. Let Cam deal with them."

"Yeah." They grab hands and run out just as the alarms go off the and doors shut

~BONES~

 **At the Collar Institute**

Brennan and Booth are in blue hazmat suits with masks behind one of the work boards. Techs are tracing the place for signs of radiation. One tech comes to Booth and Brennan and removes his mask "

Everything's coming up clean."

"Nothing?"

"Nope." Booth and Brennan come into the main area

"There should still be some evidence of radioactivity."

"There's nothing radioactive in this room." he shrugs and walks away

Brennan and Booth take off their masks. Booth sits in the chair "God, I don't know how you wear these things." Brennan sees something on the chair. She walks to him "Hot suits "

"Woah."

"What?"

Brennan sees a spot on the chair. She matches it to where it would touch Booth's spine. Booth has no idea what's going on

"Ooh, right. There." She leans him back in the chair

"What are you doing, Bones?"

"Well, this stain here must have hit Diane Sidman almost exactly where the tumor formed."

Booth leaping out of the chair "You're testing me on the cancer chair?"

"What? You're wearing a suit plus it's not radioactive anymore. We're going to need to take this chair."

"No, no, no, no. You don't just go around doing human testing on people, Bones. I got to go to the bathroom." he turns and runs out

"Well, I touched it with my bare hands. See?" she touches and then looks to the door shrugging her arms.

~BONES~

 **Collar Institute: A experimentation lab**

Booth and Brennan enter the room "Hello? Dr. Earthquake?" No one responds "Okay, so tell me what I'm looking for."

"Any apparatus that might facilitate the creation of a sonic standing wave."

Leaning against a large silver container "Right. Tell me what I'm looking for again."

She sees the container and points "You're leaning on it."

"Right, I knew that" he open it up "Look at this." he opens the heavy door "Right, I'll just get forensics to uh, look for blood."

Inside the container "No, there won't be any blood. The remains were frozen solid by this point." Booth steps inside as Brennan continued "The natural frequency of the human body is between 3 and 7 hertz."

"Humans have natural frequencies?"

"Naturally that would increase dramatically if the body was subject to"

The door slams shut locking them in "Woah," he slams against the door trying to open it "Hey."

Screaming "Forget it, Booth. We're in a high-pressure chamber. That door can withstand the force of at least..." the chamber makes a noise as if turning on "Oh no."

"Oh no. What oh no?"

Now starting getting scared "We have to get out of here."

"We have to get out of here or what, we'll explode?" An extremely high pitched noise starts forcing Booth and Brennan to grab their heads in pain. They scream and lean against the wall

"Booth, what we have to do here is we have to try to counter...counteract the wavelengths."

"The what?" Brennan begins screaming a really high pitched noise. Booth emulates. "It's not working."

"If we stop our brains will turn to pudding." They begin making siren noises again. They can't keep it up for long and they fall to the floor. Right before passing out, Booth grabs his gun and shoots at the window in the door.

~BONES~

 **Collar Institute: Experiment Room**

Brennan wakes up to comes over Booth who is passed out on the floor outside the chamber. Concerned she is yelling very loudly "Booth? Hello?"

He wakes up "Booth, are you okay?" he stares at her confused "Are you alright? Can you hear me?"

He starts shouting "What?"

She's shouting back "Are you alright?"

He's shouting back to her "I'm alright. How about you?" he moans and feels his head.

I called the paramedics, they should be here any second." Landis Collar says

Still screaming and helping Booth to stand "Landis pulled us out."

"I heard shots."

Shouting Booth says "Woah."

Shouting back "Booth, are you okay?"

Shouting back "It was my shooting that saved our lives."

"You should have been dead in 5-7 seconds"

He says shouting back"Bones, it was my gun."

Interrupting Booth, still shouting "My sonic interference idea worked."

Shouting "It wasn't your siren."

Shouting she says "Can you hear me?" Booth moans and holds his hand to his head shouting still "Bones, it was my gun."

Shouting "If I hadn't started my interference we'd be dead before you started shooting."

"You two might want to try resting before communicating. I don't need to be deaf as well as blind." Collar tells them

Booth looks at him confused shouting "What?"

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan are at The Founding Fathers at the bar

"So Diane Sidman agreed to publish Milton Alvarado only if he shared credit with her."

"Right, so she said that he was using his theories about that God particles..."

"Particle. There's only one."

"Right. Particle to vibrate the pond scum."

"He gives her cancer, but she lives too long."

"Wow. Then he kills her with a pencil and feeds her to crows so he doesn't have to share a credit. Wow, that is cold."

"And creepy?"

Booth looks at her "I didn't mean to call you creepy."

"You said I have a creepy mode," she says knowing her husband didn't mean to say it like that

"I apologize. Okay, look, I wasn't in my element."

"What? Every element is your element."

"No, that is not true. Okay, listen." he pauses "We just got to stop hanging out with geniuses because you're going to figure out that I'm really stupid."

"What? Don't worry about that. I figured out a long time ago how stupid you are." Brennan winces are she it

Booth thinks about that for a sec "Hmmm"

"What I just said is true and yet it really sounded wrong. What I should say is I don't care how stupid you are." Booth doesn't say anything "Is it not any better?"

"No. No. Not at all."

Vincent, Sweets, and Angela all come into the bar and sit around Booth and Brennan "Well, there is intelligence that I have and Mr. Nigel-Murray."

"Oh, thank you," Vincent says proudly

"And...Sweets...even though he is so misdirected as to be meaningless."

"Right," Booth says thinking of ways to punish Brennan when they get home.

"Wow, backhand full of knuckles with that compliment."

"And Hodgins, and Angela...not so much but she's very talented."

"Thank you...very much," Angela says sarcastically.

Not picking up on the sarcasm "You're welcome. But then there's another quality which is the ability to use intelligence. That is what you have."

He thinks about that and then smiles "Thanks, Bones." he gazes into her eyes showing her how much he loved this woman right now.

"Hey, wait a minute. Speaking of Hodgins...has anybody seen Hodgins?" They all shake their heads "Oh God."

~BONES~

 **At their apartment**

Booth and Brennan are on the couch in a heated kiss. Brennan is lying on her back with Booth on top of her. Booth's fingers were tangled in her hair while his other hand is on her hip. His hand slides down towards her thigh, but before Booth could get to the fun part there was a loud knock on the door.

Brennan sighs and Booth grunts at the sound "Seriously I haven't been able to have you in a week"

"We can get back to what we were doing after whoever it is has left" Brennan sighs again frustrated putting her clothes on before going to the door.

Booth grunts again laying on his back "Booth!"

"What!" Booth gets up putting his pants on while walking towards the living room.

"Angela tell him what you told me."

"Okay...Um, my dad was in town..."

"Your dad what does that have to do with anything"

"Before you rudely interrupted me I was going to say my dad is in town but he wasn't here for me, he was here for Jack"

"Why Hodgins"

"Well, he blames him for our break up and..."

"Do you know where Hodgins now?" he says concerned

"That's why I'm here I can't find him," she says breathlessly

"Well I can help find him," Brennan says

"Yeah thanks but first we have to know the location of where he is"

"Well if he's now in DC he could be in a desert," Angela says

"Why would say that," Booth says curiously

"Because my dad has done it before once"

"Well, where is the closest desert"

* * *

 **A/N:** **Hey** , **guys I just had a thought, How am I going to write Hannah in, without the coupling part? I mean Booth and Brennan are married no matter what and to think of Booth cheating Brennan is a big no-no. Guys, you have to help me figure this little problem before I even get to S6, or we'll in a world of trouble. Review or PM your suggestions on how to take on this problem. ~WayofLife**

 **A/N 2: If you see a lot of shouting it's part of the episode, but it's really annoying to write it over and over again and they spoke.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer - I do not own Bones clearly**

* * *

 **Chapter 19** **\- The Cinderella in the Cardboard**

Brennan and Booth are speaking to Dr. Marcus Scheer, the victim's plastic surgeon

"Like I said on the phone, this is definitely my patient. I remember I threw in a toe tuck for free."

"A toe tuck?"

"What can I say? Toes are the new nose."

"The Board of Plastic Surgeons hasn't approved this for elective surgery."

"They haven't condemned it either."

"Right, okay. So, who's our girl?"

"Oh, um, Meriel Mitsakos. She wanted the surgery 'cause she was getting married. Had her eye on a pair of Christian Louboutin sandals, but her middle toes stuck out. I said it was an easy fix."

"What, you cut her toe off, so she could fit into a pair of shoes?"

"Self-mutilation for an antiquated ritual. It's barbaric."

"Well, come on, marriage is very important to a lot of people, Bones."

"I know but it's ridiculous. No one can guarantee how they're going to feel about someone for life. We're not a monogamous species."

"Marriage has been around since the beginning of time."

"Women from Amazonian tribes expressed their love by spitting in their partners' faces. I hope we've progressed past that."

"Okay, well, you know what? Sometimes love trumps logic."

"I know that but logically speaking love is a chemical process which causes delusion. An intellectually rigorous person would never get married."

"Never say never." Booth looks at his wife with love because he knows that she is making an exception for herself.

"That's a paradox. It makes no sense."

"Am I still needed here? Because if you two are having relationship issues..."

Brennan says with panic "We're not a couple."

"We just work together, that's all. " Rushed looks are exchanged.

"Merial Mitsakos was murdered." Brennan changes the subject

"And as of now, you're the only one we know who's taken a knife to her."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were entering the bridal shop as shoppers are checking out bridal starts as they enter shop "Yeah, well, according to her maid of honor, this is where she ordered her dress."

Booth pauses when the manager of the store yells while she is pushing a rack of gowns "Size six, coming through!" A hoard of women begins scrambling toward the rack, running into Booth and Brennan.

"Ow, ow. Ladies, watch the toes. Man, these women are crazy," Booth winces as they stepped on his toes.

"Well, you know how I feel about weddings," Brennan says matter factually.

"What about our wedding," Booth says questions

"Well, I loved our wedding because it was about our love for each other" Brennan says while looking at her husband lovingly.

"Yeah, what's happening here is definitely not about love."

"Hello." the manager looks Brennan up and down "Ah, you're beautiful." pointing "Your size is on that rack."

"Oh, no, we're not looking for a dress," Booth says getting to business

"No, never. Ever. Ever." Brennan says shaking her head

"Oh, cold feet. You'll get over it. You two are obviously meant for each other." Booth and Brennan look at each other lovingly and tries to hide it by chuckling awkwardly

"No..." Brennan says chuckling

"We're, uh, looking for the manager."

"I'm Lucia Bertolino. Is there a problem?"

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth." he flashes his badge "This here is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan."

Brennan points to a bouquet of flowers in a glass case "How are these treated?"

"We dip them in glycerin. They're free-dried. They last forever." Lucia says

"I'm sure they do. Listen, we're investigating a murder. We believe the victim was here getting a bridal fitting shortly before she was killed. Uh, a Meriel Mitsakos."

"Oh. Hard to forget Miss Mitsakos. She had a fight with Anya, our best bridal consultant. She was screaming at her and calling her incompetent."

"Right. Is Anya here today, working?"

"Actually, I had to let her go. Anya slapped her. Miss Mitsakos threatened to sue. I didn't have a choice."

"Did Anya show any other signs of violence?"

Brennan asks "Was she dealing with something else in her life?"

"Oh, this place was her life."

"Well, I'm going to need her contact information."

"Oh, Anya couldn't kill anyone."

"Well, had she ever slapped anyone before?" Brennan asks

Realizing the motive "Let me get it for you."

"Thank you,"Booth says when Lucia leaves to get the information

Booths reach for a gown "Oh, come on, Bones, huh?" picks up a gown "You must've dreamt of being a bride before our wedding" Booth says before a shopper plucks the dress out of his hands.

"Just because I don't want to take part in a meaningless ritual doesn't mean that I'm not a warm and affectionate person. There are even some children who have taken to me."

"I know you are an affectionate person" Booth pauses "but was it meaningless when we got married?" Booth says taking offense

"No, our marriage means everything to me, you that I'll always love you" she pauses "You have to know that you were the one that showed me that a piece of paper doesn't mean anything but through the eyes of the law it means everything" a woman runs past them interrupting them before she says "And I want everyone to know that that I love you in every way possible even though our relationship is secret" Brennan with a lot of emotion in her voice.

Booth smirked then pulled his wife into a hug in the middle of the store. When something catches his eye Booth looks over to see Daisy standing on a platform, trying on a dress. An unknown man is standing in front of her.

"Oh, my God, I love it! Isn't it perfect? Do you think it's perfect?!"

Booth breaks the hug and says to his wife "It's Daisy!"

"What?"

Grabbing Brennan "Turn around. Turn around. That's Daisy Wick. Sweets' girlfriend. Don't look. No, she cannot see us."

"Why?" Brennan says confused

"Why? Because she is buying a wedding dress, and some guy is hugging her."

"She's marrying someone else without telling Sweets? Don't you think he'd be upset about that?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Well, I like Sweets. We should tell him." Brennan says with the _'Don't tell Sweets that look'_

"No, no, no. No. No. It's got to be our little secret. Shh." Booth says when Lucia returns with the information Booth had requested\

"Here's Anya's information."

"Oh, thank you."

"Thanks."

Lucia picks up a veil off a rack says to Brennan "You know, this veil would be perfect for you, dear."

"Oh, well, it's a symbol of virginity, and I've been sexually active since I was-"

Booth interrupts his wife "Okay, Bones, we really have to get going." He turns to Lucia "Thank you so much for your help." He turns back towards the door guiding his wife away "Come on, this way."

~BONES~

Brennan and Angela are working with the cardboard "Most of the boxes don't have any identifiable markings, but the surface scratches on this one look like they may be handwriting."

"Daisy Wick is having an affair" Brennan blurts out

"Really?" Angela says surprised

"She's getting married, and she's cuckolding on her fiancé with Dr. Sweets."

"Poor Sweets. He loves her." Angela pouts

"Booth doesn't want to tell him. He says it's none of our business."

"Exactly."

"But wouldn't it be kind to spare Sweets any emotional pain Miss Wick's infidelity might cause him?"

"What would you do if Booth cheated?"

"Well I know that he wouldn't cheat and if he does I will be hurt and heartbroken but all it will do is prove my point." she pauses "That marriage doesn't last with just one person in your life for rest of your life"

"Wouldn't you try to forgive him?"

"Yes, but evidently I would say no, I love him but I can't see Booth with another woman" The room became quiet

"Well if Sweets is in love with Daisy, and she's cheating on him, somewhere inside he knows. And if he doesn't, then it's because he doesn't want to." Angela says before changing the subject "Will you hand me that lemon juice?"

"I think you are correct."

"Good. A person's love life-"

"The scratches on the cardboard should take on a higher concentration of lemon juice than the surface area," Brennan interrupts going back to the case

"You just want to tell him, don't you?" Angela says

"Well, I would like to know if it ever happens to me and Sweets says that he's an expert in human psychology. He should be able to handle a problem this common."

"Come on, sweetie, be kind."

"Of course."

"Look, it looks like we can read the writing on the box. Okay, 'Champagne Lounge, 271 Beloit Avenue, Washington, DC.' "

~BONES~

At their apartment, Brennan walks in dropping her keys in the tray next to the door.

"I saw Sweets and Daisy, and I was wrong. She wasn't cheating on him."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?"

"Well, I wanted to spare him pain, but all I did was cause it," she says before she sits down on the couch

"You meant well," he says sitting next to her and holding her in his arms

"I made him so jealous, I almost ruined their relationship. I should've listened to you," she says as she snuggled into his arms

"Maybe next time you will." he pauses for second before saying "Hey, I was just gonna go out and grab a bite to eat, some Chinese, maybe some-"

She gets up "I'd rather drink. Do you want one?" she grabs the bottle pouring a cup for but keeping the bottle for herself

"Yeah, we could do that. My good bottle of scotch. Bottoms up, Bones."

"You know, intellectually I know that jealousy is absurd. But I see that it's real for people." she looks down "I even experience it myself." she sits down next to her husband

"So... who are you jealous of?"

"Angela. Hodgins. Cam. You."

"Why?"

"Because you all want to lose yourself in another person. You believe that love is transcendent and eternal. You could lose yourself in me but I can't. I want to believe that, too.

"Babe, what do you mean you can't lose yourself in me?"

"Well I can but I feel that I can't get things right with you" she pauses taking a swig of the scotch "I feel that you will leave me one day for someone who is emotional equal to you"

"Babe you know that I would never leave you, not for anyone because I love you" he pauses "I would die before I do anything to hurt you, you know that right?"

"Yeah I know, I just feel afraid that everything is becoming too perfect, and I feel like everything is going to fall apart one day," she cried into his shoulder

"Aww baby, nothings going to fall apart between us," he pauses to think before saying "We have been married for 6 years now how come you still feel this way"

"I'm not used to being this vulnerable, I know we made our amends a long time ago, but I don't want to lose you"

"You're not going to lose me, I'm here for the long haul, baby, okay"

"Okay," she says still snuggled in his arms tightly.

* * *

 **A/N: I know you guys noticed that I haven't shown the B &B attention usually towards the end of the chapter, but I'll try to add more B&B attention in the later chapters. Oh and you guys know the I love reviews especially from my recurring reviewers but new reviewers are accepted. See next chapter guys. **


	21. Chapter 20

**Hey, guys, I missed you guys so much I hope you guys missed me.**

 **Disclaimer - I don't own a single word of this but my idea**

* * *

 **Chapter 20 - Mayhem on the Cross**

Booth wakes to his phone ringing. He groans and rolls over to the where the phone is ringing on the nightstand but carefully to not disturb his wife who was asleep in arms.

"ello," Booth says with sleep evident in his voice "Okay be right there" he groans again before he hangs up the phone.

Booth rolls back over to his wife and whispers "Bones, Bones wake up"

"No, Booth it's Saturday" She groans with her eyes closed and snuggling more into Booth's arms

"I know that if there wasn't a case we would be sleeping in today, but... " Booth says knowing she isn't a morning person

Brennan sighs and rolls of her husbands' arms "God, sometimes I hate my job" she mumbles

Booth sits up and grabs her arms Brennan looks back when her husband pulls her back into his lap. "What are you doing?"

Booth smirks "Getting my morning kiss," he says before closing the gap between them.

The kiss becomes heated before Brennan's phone starts ringing. They both sigh "I guess that's cue to get up" Booth groans while he gets up and picks up his underwear off the floor.

Brennan stands and admires her husband's body before asking "You want to join me in the shower, it would conserve water"

"I mean why would we want to waste water when we could conserve" Booth grins cockily before picks up his wife and lead her into the bathroom for some much-needed relief.

~BONES~

Booth is walking down the hall with another agent "Right, okay, so for the Norwegian crucifixion case, I'm gonna need to know all there is about the heavy metal music scene in D.C. Okay, and tell you what, get me all the recordings you can." They turn the corner and run into Dr. Gordon Wyatt.

"I think you're going to have to be more specific than that, Agent Booth."

"Ha, Gordon-Gordon!" He shakes hands with him and continues to do so.

"There's black metal, speed metal, grindcore, thrash, doom, drone, glam, sludge, metalcore, stoner metal, death metal, and deathcore." Wyatt looks down at their still shaking hands. "Must you shake my hand with quite such a vise-like grip?"

"Right, yeah, okay, did you get all that? Go, go, go! I thought you were a psychiatrist, huh? How'd you become such a musical expert?"

"Oh, I've got quite a, quite a musical background, you know," Wyatt says with pride

"Oh, yeah, right uh, Saint, um, Weatherby's Glee Club in Doo-Dah-on-Henley?" Booth jokes "So... I thought we loaned you out to Interpol?"

"Yes, part of the serial killer task force, traveling the globe bathed in perversion and gore."

"Have a seat." They both sit.

"And on a happier note, I'm to meet your bright young thing. Dr. Sweets?"

"Sweets, why Sweets?"

"Well, he wants to interview me for the book he's writing on you and your lovely wife Dr. Brennan. Anyway, I can see you're busy." He stands. "Listen, uh, perhaps while I'm here I can barbeque for you one evening."

"Oh, no, no, I am the barbeque master, remember? You can do the boiling."

"Ah, I have it on good authority that my culinary skills have advanced somewhat since last we ate. Anyway, it's good to see you."

"Yeah, you too," Booth says before Wyatt leaves.

~BONES~

Brennan, Booth, and Wyatt were in the SUV "So, why do I have the feeling that I'm being taken somewhere terrible for a... a gangland whacking?"

"We are going somewhere terrible." Booth gives her a look "We are."

"Look, we... we need your expertise."

"Well, I'm sure the estimable Dr. Sweets is more than qualified," Wyatt says confused

"Booth is lying about needing you," she says knowing what he is doing

"What?" Booth gives a fake shock look

"He wants to talk you out of quitting psychiatry"

"Babe, I was easing into that, okay?"

"As a matter of fact, I might be able to help. You know, as a young man, I dabbled quite extensively in the rock music scene.:

Booth chuckles "Oh, wait a second. What, were you, lead dulcimer in a flute band?"

"As a matter of fact, I was the founding member of a proto-glam rock outfit."

"I don't know what that means," she says confused

"It means that for three glorious years, I wore spandex, silver lame, pancake makeup, and played the guitar, it was shaped like a spaceship. I was quite pretty in my way."

"Wait. You... you were Noddy Comet."

"What's that?" confused about what 'Noddy' is

"Noddy Comet! I always wondered what happened to you. You were Noddy."

"I changed jobs. That's all." Wyatt says cheerfully

"Noddy Comet! I got to get some of those original tapes." Booth says already making a list of what to get. While Brennan is looking at both of them still confused but ignores it.

~BONES~

Brennan is on the phone with Booth who is still on desk duty in his office. Shouting over the music. "I'm disturbed that despite my extensive training as an anthropologist, all of these bands sound alike and appear to share identical belief systems and morals."

"Yeah, right, except for the trained anthropologist part, that's how my dad felt about Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys."

"I have no idea what you're saying."

"Listen, Babe, I don't want you there alone, okay? Just get a good look at this guy, and you get out; do you understand?"

A man with makeup on approaches and Brennan has to look twice before she realizes that it's Sweets. "You ready?"

"Sweets?" she says with a look of shock

"Sweets is there?" he says surprised

"Well, I think it's him."

"Yeah, I had to meld to get information. Zorch's lead singer is Murderbreath." Murderbreath blows fire out of his mouth. "Look at that. Who does he think he is? The guy with the tongue from Kiss?"

"Do you know what? Just tell Sweets to leave Gene alone. Just get a photo and get out of there."

"Zorch and Spew are sworn, enemies. It started out with the fans throwing feces at each other, then some attacks."

"Culminating in medieval torture?" They are looking on the stage, Murderbreath lifts a large knife and the crowd shouts "Do it! Do it!"

"He's got a knife."

"Who's got a knife?" Booth says worriedly

Murderbreath slides the knife across his throat and blood stars flowing. "Nah, don't worry. It's totally fake." Murderbreath grabs his throat and goes down on the stage.

"That's...not fake."

]"Whoa, whoa, what's happening?" Booth says freaking out

"Murderbreath slit his own throat," she says while pushing through the crowd toward the stage. "Excuse me."

"Is he still alive?" Booth says already running towards his car

Brennan assesses the situation before saying "We need a compress." She looks around and then rips Sweets' shirt off.

"You could've asked."

"Hold this against the wound. Booth, can you call it in?"

"Listen, I'm not hanging up, Bones..." She hangs up on her husband. She then tries to call the paramedics

Holding the compress against Murderbreath's throat. "Help is coming..."

"Bones? Bones?" Booth yells

The crowd surges forward, many are taking pictures with their phones "Stand back, please. FBI. Stand back!" Brennan says when she looks down and is surprised to see multiple scars on Sweets' back.

~BONES~

Dr. Wyatt, Booth and Brennan are sitting at a table near the window at the Royal Diner. "Now, my last official task as an FBI shrink is to declare you fit for duty" He holds the gun out to Booth over the table.

"Gordon-Gordon," he says as he taps the table "the gun under the table."

"I'm sorry. Sorry."

"Geez, yes. Fine."

"So, Booth is back?"

"He's back," Wyatt says

"Hey, so what's next for you, Doc? I mean, when you stop shrinking heads?"

"I've been accepted by the Institute of Culinary Arts."

"You're going to be a chef."

"That's correct, yes. I'm going to put good things into people instead of taking out things that are bad. Which I know sounds rather Freudian, but... Sigmund's been largely discredited so to hell with him."

"I don't see why you can't do both."

"Well, we still don't know who murdered Justin Dancy."

"Baby steps. You will prevail." Wyatt smirks

"This subculture, it takes every notion of community and turns it upside down."

"Well, no matter what they say, the fact remains that they are artists. They create. No true nihilist ever creates. These dark tortured people may rail against the night, but they make music."

"On an oscilloscope, what we call 'music' is demonstrably distinct from what we call 'noise'."

"Your Dr. Sweets liked it as an adolescent. He's turned out rather well...for the most part.

Booth askes confused "For the most part?"

"Well, I read his book. And, as is the case with most writing, it reveals more about the writer than about the subject matter, which, in this case, is you."

"Can you provide an example?" Brennan asks curiously

"For one thing, he finds it extremely frustrating—your lack of willingness to discuss your childhood experiences with him."

"What does that tell you?"

"No, do not ask him that. He's going to think we both had traumatic childhoods." Booth says knowing that she doesn't like talking about it

"We did. Your father was a violent drunk and mine abandoned me."

Booth claps sarcastically "Great, thank you. Just tell everybody here at the diner, won't you, Bones? Go ahead."

"So, I know you two are married who else knows?" Wyatt says trying to change the subject

"Not many people, just Caroline, Dr. Goodman" Booth pauses trying to remember.

Brennan picks where he left off "Angela, Hodgins, and Zach"

"Yeah them"

"Well you have a tight group of people, do you think you will tell anyone else?" Wyatt looks at curiously

"Well we could but I like that we keep people in suspense" Booth smirks

"Sweets... has scars on his back. Old Ones." Brennan blurts out

"Really?"

"What kind of scars?" Booth says

"Well, like he'd been whipped," Brennan says having flashbacks of her childhood

Booth grimacing "Whipped?"

"I saw them."

"That explains his near-obsession with your childhood trauma, doesn't it?"

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan were in their kitchen. While Dr. Wyatt is standing at the stove stirring something. Brennan is sitting at a small table and Booth is putting on music.

The rock music starts blares "Noddy Comet! Huh? Look at that, unbelievable."

Brennan says to Wyatt "This is you singing?"

"Well, yeah, my alter ego, I suppose you might say. A bisexual spaceman with a taste for six-inch platform shoes, spandex, glitter, and an exhibitionist disdain for underclothing."

"Well, here's to Gordon-Gordon! Without him, we would not have been able to solve the murder."

"I hate to admit it, but it's true." She and her husband raise their wine glasses. "To Gordon-Gordon."

Wyatt turns the music off "Stop, please. Look, this is exactly what Sweets wanted. I'm too good a psychiatrist ever to leave, et cetera. Well, no... Just put your glasses down, would you? Please. Might I offer you a word of advice regarding young Dr. Sweets?"

"Might we try to stop you?" Booth says not ready to talk about Sweets

Brennan questions "Why do we need advice about Sweets?"

"We don't. Sweets is just fine."

"He most definitely is not fine. I've read his book."

"What, does he say something mean about us?" Brennan says curiously

"On the contrary. You might as well know that he lost both his adoptive parents just before he came to work for your de facto crime-fighting unit."

"Geez, what are we? The Land of Misfit Toys?"

"Well, he's a good lad, Sweets, but this book he's writing, he's using it as the vehicle to get what he actually wants, which is... a family."

"So he imprinted on us? Like a baby duck?" Wyatt shrugs "So what do we do?"

"Nothing. Okay, Sweets is not a baby duck."

"He wants what we all want. He wants to find out his place in the world."

Wyatt looks at Booth "We can find a permanent place for him. Right?"

"Aww. Gordon-Gordon is going to want us to divulge or share or bond or something awful."

"Look, perhaps you might just show the lad that he's not the only one with scars on his back."

"But he is." Wyatt gives her a look "Too literal."

"By the way, what I'm making here, this is the masterpiece that got me accepted into the Culinary Institute. All right? But it doesn't keep. So, uh, be back in an hour, yeah?"

"Let's go."

"But where are we going?"

"Duck hunting. Come on."

"Not literally." Booth quacks as her looks at her "Right?"

"Come on." Booth quacks again as they were leaving out the door

Goes to the stereo and puts Noddy Comet back on and starts dancing "Oh! I miss you, rock and roll. I really do."

~BONES~

Booth and Brennan enter Sweets' Office. Sweets is sitting at a desk writing.

"Sweets? Hi."

Sweets turn and look at them, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, uh, Gordon-Gordon is, uh, making dinner for us at my place, family-style. And, um, you're invited." Booth smiles

"Thank you, but I've actually got a lot of work here..."

Booth turns to go but turns back when Brennan starts talking "My foster parents locked me in the trunk of a car for two days when I broke a dish. I was a very clumsy child. They warned me it would happen, but the water was so hot and the..." Tearing up "soap was so slippery. I still don't think it was fair, even though they gave me fair warning." her voice starts breaking "The water was so hot...

"No, it wasn't fair at all. It wasn't your fault."

Takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and holds it out to her and whispers "Bones, what are you doin'?" knowing that she doesn't like talking about her time in foster care.

"You said that scars on the back were a metaphor. Isn't that why we're here? To metaphorically compare scars?"

Booth starts whispering "I came to bring Sweets back to my place for dinner, that's all," his wife takes the handkerchief.

"Scars on the back?"

"I saw them, Sweets." Brennan whispers

"So.." he sighs "What? Did you decide to just share something from your past?" Brennan nods "That is so unlike you".

"I still hate psychology." Turns to looks him and looks Booth into his asking him to do it for her "Okay. Your turn. Go."

Booth shrugs "I came here to bring Sweets back to my place for dinner, that's all." Brennan glares at him giving him a look "Okay if it wasn't for my grandfather, I probably would've killed myself when I was a kid. That's all I'm going to say on the subject matter. Understand?" Booth looks at his wife "Are you okay, Bones?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Here." She folds up his handkerchief and puts it in the front pocket of his suit over his heart, pressing her hand to it. He covers her hand with his for a moment before she withdraws her hand.

Brennan, she turns toward Sweets and asked: "Why are you nodding?"

"Nothing. Just... Wyatt made an observation about you two, and I think I just saw what he saw."

"You coming?"

"Booth means that we'd like it if you joined us."

"Thank you," he says genuinely

"Great. Here we go. Let's go." Booth and Brennan take Sweets by an arm and walk out with him.

"Gordon-Gordon is making cassoulet."

"It's stew. It's bean stew." Booth corrects her

"Cassoulet is better than regular stew, Booth," Brennan says matter factually

"Just because it's French doesn't mean it's better."

"It sounds better than stew."

"See?" Brennan grins

"It's stew."

"It sounds better." Brennan grins wider like she just won a battle

"It's stew," Booth says while they were leaving out of the office.

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 **A/N: I hope you guys like this chapter I worked on it a lot. Even the first part.**


	22. Author's Note

**I don't own Bones or Castle**

 **WARNING! This is not a chapter**

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Hey guys I know I have been online much to begin with and a lot of people like my stories and when I write I get super excited for everyone to review it and see what they liked or what thought about while reading my story and if many you follow me you'll see that I have many unfinished story and only a couple finish.

Like, A Wonderful Partnership Pt 1-3 and one of my lesser story The Recovery before Surprise, but there's my unfinished stories like Captain Rodgers, Becoming Real Partners, A Wonderful Partnership Pt 4, and my lesser story The New Tactic (which I'm deleting and starting over).

You'll that while I maybe bad finishing stories doesn't mean I'm not going to, I'm saying it's going to take longer now since I lost my hotspot I am literally scrounging for internet. Which is becoming less and less of a thing I can find, I believe that I have loyal followers who would wait until I have a stable way to write so I can continue on writing my wonderful stories for you guys.

So, as of day or tomorrow I will not be able to write stories at all, I can only answer any question you may ask about the stories I have written and what is to come for those stories. My only way of communicating with you guys is Private Messaging (PM), so please don't ask questions in the review. If there are any guest readers well I the only you guys can ask things is with an account so I don't know.

If you guys have questions on why I can't write stories right now please PM me anytime, and I'll answer them as soon as I can.

I love you guys because you guys give my meaning or a purpose to do something that I don't I really do in the in the real world. Hope. I hope find that I am doing the best the I can with what I have. I'm not rich or have fancy things and I practically had to beg for a laptop. I want you guys to find that will give you purpose in life and I want you guys to be happy with what you have now and what you may have in the future.

See you soon,

WayofLife

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 **P.S.: I am thinking about writing another story I know it's foolish but this story has racked my mind for days. It's a Arrow story about future endeavors.**


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